


Star Wars: The Future of Ren

by darkenedswimmingpool



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Dyad, Force Visions, Inappropriate Use of the Force, Post TFA, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Slow Burn, The Finalizer, The Force, alternate storyline, pilot training, possessive!Kylo, possible sexual content in the future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:07:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 41,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkenedswimmingpool/pseuds/darkenedswimmingpool
Summary: After 20 long years on Kessel, Dallia found herself making one of the biggest decisions of her life: joining the First Order through their recruiting program following the tragic destruction of Starkiller Base. Little did she know that this decision would alter the fate of not only her, but the entire galaxy. As she joins the First Order and finds herself in a passionate relationship, she discovers a part of herself that changes everything.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 13





	1. A Sunset Over Kessel

**Author's Note:**

> "It isn't a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for."
> 
> _Benjamin E. Mays ___

A smog of fumes and pollutants covered the afternoon sky, creating a dim atmosphere as Dallia stepped outside of the small apartment. The smell of the damp city streets was something she was used to. The narrow, gloomy street was lined with other apartments, all nearly identicle to the one she stayed in. As she briskly walked downtown, she kept her head down and avoided the muddy puddles that were nearly disturbed with each of her steps. She had recently been dismissed from her job at the cantina in the east part of town, leaving her without credits to afford even the cheapest boots, therefore making walks down the city streets a brand new adventure of avoiding all the puddles. Even when she had her job, credits were tight. Her apartment was barely even a room, leaving her to sleep, eat, and shower in the same small space. With the recent surge of First Order operations on Kessel, she had assumed there would be an increase in living standards in return. Instead, the people of Kessel were even more oppressed than when they were ran by spice traders, living day to day, slaving over their jobs that in turn only benefitted the First Order, which had set up collection facilities for said spices and astatic coaxium, an element that could be turned into hyperfuel.

Dallia finally reached the northside cantina, the cantina she now hung out at in attempt to avoid any embarassing encounters at the eastside cantina following her dismissal. Even the thought of it was embarassing. As she tried her best to push the thought out of her mind, she spotted Cane sitting at a booth in the back. He seemed to be his normal, chipper self, the type of person you would never imagine to see on Kessel. He spotted her and called her back with a wave of his hand.

"Aye Dall! How you doing?" He asked as she took a seat across from him and sighed.

"Not so great actually. Ever since I was let go, I've been living off of those old ration packs." Dallia told him with a shrug. She took Cane's drink, which sat on the table, and took a large sip for herself.

Cane playfully rolled his eyes at the action. "Well kiddo, I don't know what to tell you. Trust me, if I had extra credits, I'd give you some."

"Oh Cane, thank you, but it's quite alright." Dallia said. "I just need a reliable job."

A laugh came from Cane. "I heard those First Order officers were coming down to recruit today. Why don't you go see if they'll take you?"

"Hell no!" Dallia exclaimed. "There is no way I'm selling my life away to be a slave for the First Order."

"We all do that just by living here, regardless of the job." Cane sighed.

Dallia looked away. "But still... all they would do is put me to work in the mines or collection facilities, a job much worse than being a bartender at a cantina."

Cane nodded slightly and took a sip of his drink, which was nearly gone. He gave Dallia a glance, without needing to say another word. After 5 years of friendship, they knew eachother well enough to understand what eachother were thinking. That look wasn't a look of happiness or sadness, it was hope. Hope that one day things would get better. Hope that one day he could get her out of this place. He saw something inside of her that was extraordinary, unfit for for living there on Kessel. Dallia was like a little sister to him, something he had always wished he had. Being without a family all of these years made him value his friends even more. Deep inside, he knew that it was his duty to get her away from all of the misery that hung around them. 

After a short talk, Cane insisted on getting home, for there was an important errand he claimed was time sensitive. As the both of them said their goodbyes, Dallia gave him a hug. "I'll see you here same time tomorrow, okay?"

Cane gave her smile and a small nod and headed out the east door. Dallia paused as she watched him leave. 

_Cane lived west of this cantina. Why did he go out the east door?_ She thought to herself. 

She quickly dismissed the thought and headed home by herself. As she avoided the puddles on the way home, she couldn't stop wondering what her life would've been like if she lived somewhere else - or had a sustainable amount of credits. She wanted to do something meaningful and make a difference in the galaxy, a sort of action that seemed nearly impossible for an unemployed young girl such as herself. Most nights, she would lie awake and dream of huge, fancy spacecrafts in the vast unknown, with only the surrounding stars to view. No more fumes, no more dirty streets. Only a sleek ship, surrounded by stars and nothing else, a thought that was overwhelming yet inspiring to her all at once. The thought of flying through space like Solo on the Kessel Run was exilharating. She had looked up to him for almost all of her life, giving her hope that one day she'd have the chance to fly through the vast regions of space. 

When she reached the front door to her apartment, she looked west, down the narrow street of buildings. The setting sun set a perfect picture across the little part of visible horizon. Streaks of orange, red, and yellow blended together in a way that Dallia had never seen before. It reminded her of a Tatooine sunset she had seen on a holopad downtown, except with only one sun. She found herself smiling as she finally snapped back to reality. 


	2. A Little Push

The cot creaked and groaned as Dallia turned over the next morning. Small rays of sun could be seen from under the front door, telling her the night was over. As she pushed the worn blanket off of her body she sighed. Another day has begun. She wondered if she should ask around and see if any shop was hiring.

A loud buzz of lights turned on as she flipped an industrial switch on the wall, which was worn down from years of use. She began to search through her cupboards for a ration pack yet again. They provided little flavor but an adequate amount of nutrients, making them suitable for her situation. Without employment, she made a promise to herself to only buy things when it was absolutely necessary and right now, food was not on the top of her list. She desperately needed more water crates. There in the industrial district of Kessel, water was shipped in from the jungle regions where water was more sanitary and fresh, making it harder to access from those struggling financially in city centers. They were sold in crates of different sizes and prices and usually kept in kitchens where they could easily be accessed. Dallia looked back at the cupboard to the last crate left, which was running low. She frowned and shuffled over to a small drawer where she kept her clothes.

After pulling on another gray shirt, utility vest, pants, and worn-out boots, she pulled her hair back using some string and made her way downtown once again. When she originally started renting her apartment, she had hoped for one closer downtown where everything was, but instead, she was forced to buy one farther due to the significantly lower price. She didn't mind the walk but sometimes it was a nuisance when she was in a hurry. Sometimes water crates were sold out if you got to the shop too late in the day. The thought of not having water panicked her slightly, causing her to walk briskly. As she approached the main city plaza, she noticed a line of stormtroopers and a stern looking man in a long, black coat overlooking a small crowd of people.

"Due to recent events and our catastrophic lost of personnel, I would like to announce that our recruitment program will provide more positions off-world this year." The man announced to the crowd. Dallia raised an eyebrow, not believing the man. For as long as they held control over Kessel, they had only employed citizens in their facilities locally, not off-world.

"I expect everyone who wished for a position signed up yesterday." He continued. "Today, we will meet with each individual, where they can express their interest in the field of their choosing. We will perform a background check following this so I expect everyone to have their proper identification and paperwork at the ready."

Dallia stared at the man, astonished at how pristine his appearance was. His red hair was smoothed over and his face was without emotion. The stern posture he held radiated a certain level of power that she had never seen in her life. Out of pure curiosity and forgetfulness about her dire water situation, she stood there, wanting to hear who signed up for such a ridiculous employment opportunity.

"Please understand that if you are chosen and your background check satisfies our requirements, you are not guaranteed employment." The stern man said. "Depending on the job, you will be assigned to begin training, which is where we will assess your abilities. If you do not show enough exceptional skill, you will be dismissed and barred from any other future attempts of joining the First Order. We only employ the very best, as requested by the Supreme Leader. Now... when your name is called, come forward and we will lead you to where you will continue the process."

A strange wave of nerves overcame Dallia as she stood there. Her hands began to feel clammy and wet with sweat. Perhaps she was nervous for those being recruited. After all, it was the First Order. Their methods and values seemed quite aggressive and assertive... but on the other hand, they were the most powerful regime she has ever lived to see. She admired their tenacity and passion, despite enslaving thousands across the galaxy. As her thoughts kept racing, she heard the man start calling names off of the list. A few she recognized as childhood acquaintances. One by one, as they were taken back into the building, Dallia's nerves seemed to climb and climb. Her legs began to feel weak and wobbly when she glanced up and saw that the man was nearing the bottom of the list. Trying to knock herself back into reality, she pinched her arm, only to feel worse. _Perhaps I had eaten a stale ration pack last night._ She thought to herself. _Or maybe it was a-_

"Dallia Casbon!" The man shouted without any thought.

She froze. Not a single muscle in her body felt able to move. _Why did he just call my name? There has to be some mistake!_

Out of fear of embarrassment, she lowered her head and made her way down to the stormtroopers that waited to take her back. "Sir, I'm sorry to bother you but I think-" She tried to say but she was cut off.

"Quiet girl! We are here to escort you, not make conversation." One of them snapped.

Just as you were to follow them around the corner, you hear a familiar shout behind you. Cane. He finally reached her, out of breath. His hands were full of papers.

"Hey sis, how come you didn't invite your big brother?" He asked with a laugh as he joined them walking around the corner. Dallia looked at him with confusion, too racked with nerves to speak. "Don't be so nervous, sis. You're finally getting to join the First Order! Can you believe it?" He laughed.

_It was him. He signed up for me when he left the cantina last night! Why the hell would he do this to me?_ Dallia screamed to herself internally. _How do I get out of this? I don't even have my paperwork!_

She shot him an angry look as she clenched her clammy fists, which didn't make her feel any better. Thousands of thoughts were racing through her head. She couldn't understand why one of her closest friends would sign her up for something you clearly didn't want. There was no way she was going to spend the rest of her life slaving over spices for the First Order. She knew she was better than that.

The stormtroopers led them through an automatic door and into a room lined with temporary offices. Both her and Cane were then urged to sit down in front of a stern, professional looking woman who wore a type of First Order insignia that Dallia couldn't recognize.

"Dallia Casbon, correct?" She asked in an uninterested voice. Dallia nodded nervously.

"Yes, ma'am. I actually came back here to explain that-"

"Hi, I'm her brother, Cane." Cane said excited from beside her, cutting off her sentence. He went to shake her hand, only to receive a glare from the woman across the silver table. Dallia turned to him quickly, only to see him red with embarrassment from the rejected greeting.

The woman huffed. "Identification and paperwork, please." She extended her hand. Before Dallia could even form a thought, Cane dropped a small stack of paperwork in her gloved hand. Dallia's eyes were as wide as Yavin 4, while she watched the scene unfold. The woman took the papers and began flipping through them. As she did, Dallia glanced at the top paper, which outlined a resume of achievements that she had never even heard of. Cane had forged the paperwork! She felt as if she were in a bad dream where each second got worse and worse. They were in far too deep for her to make a truthful statement as to how she got there. It would be far too embarrassing to be escorted out after saying your fake brother signed you up to be recruited by the most intimidating regime in the galaxy.

The woman in front of them stopped reading the paper in front of her and raised an eyebrow, as if impressed by its contents. "I must say, it is very rare we see a young girl from such an accomplished family sign up to be recruited from such a... dreadful planet." She explained. "With your family history, your options regarding employment are quite open. What type of job were you thinking of?" She asked.

Dallia sat up in her seat. "A pilot." She answered without thought. "I want to train to become a pilot."

Beside her, Cane grinned widely. His plan had worked. All she needed was a little push.


	3. Goodbyes and Hellos

"Dallia, I just wanted to say a few things before you head home." Cane said with his gaze at the ground as they walked out of the silver office building. Dallia looked up at him with a soft expression, as if saying go on. 

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry I did that." He sighed. "You know I hate seeing you suffer and I knew you had always wanted to fly and-"

"Cane..." She nearly whispered. "I forgive you."

"Really, Dall?" He said weakly. His face held an expression of embarrassment.

Dallia let out a small laugh. After thinking about the whole ordeal, it was quite funny. The only problem she would have would be attempting to keep up with the lies Cane made up on those pages and pages of paperwork. Holding them in her hand, she felt as if she held her entire future before her, causing a wave of nerves to overcome her. The woman had told her to report to the spacecraft sector of Kessel tomorrow morning at 0800 to board with the other recruits. She kept wondering if her training would work out. After all, she had never even been inside of a ship capable of traveling outside of the atmosphere. Deep inside she hoped that her esteemed "family" would allow her some slack during her training. The woman had explained the rigorous courses and skills to be considered for employment and the luck Dallia had due to the limited spaces present in the recruitment process. She explained that they usually didn't recruit pilots from such "dreadful" planets, they only did so this year due to their losses following the destruction of Starkiller Base. 

"You know Dallia... as much as I'm going to miss you, I can't wait to look up into the sky in the future and see you flying past. Just like Han Solo." Cane told her.

She laughed in return. "If I can pass training... and keep up with all of these fibs." She gestured towards the papers in her hand, earning a smirk from Cane.

"It won't be too tough." He said. "Just make sure to read them over a bunch before you head over there tomorrow."

She nodded as they kept walking.

_ A pilot. _ She thought, still in disbelief over her quick decision in front of the stern woman minutes before.  _ I'm going to train to become a pilot. _

Cane walked her all the way home from downtown. Even though Dallia knew it was his way of apologizing, she still appreciated the company. Once she got on the ship the next day to depart for training, she knew she would miss him more than anyone. She felt so much gratitude for his friendship all of those years and especially for his questionable decision the day before. Without it, she'd be stuck on Kessel for the rest of her life. She couldn't believe that this opportunity was real, that she actually had the chance to become what she had always dreamed of. What luck.

Turning to Cane, she felt a tear in her eye start to form. "Will I see you before I leave tomorrow?" She asked him.

He looked down at his feet. "I have a shift tomorrow morning Dall... I'm so sorry. You know I can't risk this job."

She watched him take a deep breath, trying to keep himself together. She assured him that it would be alright. 

"I suppose this is it then..." She whispered. "I'll miss you so much Cane, you don't even know."

"I'll miss you too, sis." He replied. Both of them smiled at the nickname. 

"I'll come back for you. I promise." She assured him, stepping forward and embracing him in a hug.

They stood there for a few seconds more before they broke away. Cane reached into his pocket and handed her a silver coin. As she turned it around in her hand, she saw it was a coin from down in the mines that was used by First Order officers. On it was engraved,  _ Kessel Mining Operations.  _ She smiled and placed it in the front pocket of her vest. 

"Thank you, Cane." She told her.

Cane, too heartbroken to speak, nodded and smiled softly back at her, as if saying goodbye without really saying it. He turned and walked down the puddle-filled street, leaving Dallia at the door to her apartment. Watching him leave caused her heart to sink, but she knew that one day she'd see him again. She promised herself that. 

Eventually, she entered the dirty apartment, thinking about how it would be the last time in there. If she passed training, that is. 

She entered her tiny kitchen only to realize that she forgot to buy a crate of water earlier that day. Laughing, she assured herself that she'd survive until the next day and proceeded to get undressed and ready for bed. When she finally got in bed, she took a deep breath, trying to calm down and meditate for a few seconds. As she calmed her mind, she felt the hair on her arms rise. A sudden strange feeling of fear and curiosity ran through her entire body as she dove deep into meditation. She began to see something in front of her, even though her eyes were completely shut. On either side of her were silver, metal walls that led to a turn in the hallway she was standing in. As she approached the corner, she began to see a shadow around the bend. It was looming over some sort of alter that held a dusty, jagged object that looked like it had been smashed. The shadow, whom she assumed to be a man due to his large structure, seemed to be staring at the object. Perhaps it was some relic or something of incredible importance to him. 

Feeling a sudden wave of curiosity take over her, she approached the corner, eager to glance around. Before she could she watched the shadow turn around quickly and a terrifying flash over red washed out the whole room, frightening her out of her meditation. As she looked up to the ceiling above her, she felt confused. Those kinds of meditation visions have happened a few times before, but never that vividly. Even as she experienced that vision, she felt certain emotions she had never felt in her entire life. They were strong and overwhelming to experience.

_It must be the stress._ _I should get some sleep._ She told herself.

After a night of restless sleep, a tiny alarm from her wristband woke her up, alerting her that 0800 was in an hour. Groaning to herself, she sat up in bed only to have a small flashback of what her meditation showed her last night. It was strange to her how vivid a scene could play out in her mind like that. It almost scared her. 

She decided to get dressed after a few minutes of deep thought. As she dressed in her normal outfit, she felt some nerves begin to kick in. The thought of going to official First Order training facilities was terrifying yet exciting, even if she was going based on a huge lie. 

She grabbed the papers from where she left them on a crate and began reading them over.

_ Dallia Casbon, Humanoid _

_ Born 15 ABY; Kessel; Born to Matton and Daveena Casbon; both deceased _

_ Siblings: Cane Casbon; born 11 ABY; Kessel _

_ Both parents were employed by spice traders for the majority of their lives. They both excelled in piloting through the spice lanes on the Kessel run. They were highly esteemed for their efficiency and speed regarding the delivering of products, making them highly reliable and skilled pilots, as stated by their former employers. Following a ship malfunction during one of their spice routes, both were killed… _

To Dallia’s surprise, the sentences went on, citing esteemed references for both of her “parents” as well as describing the hands-on experience with spacecraft she had gotten from her parents at a very young age. Cane was a mastermind for putting all of this together. He even included official-looking emblems of well-known spice trading agencies that existed before the First Order as well as many forged signatures. She had to admit, he  _ was _ talented with his words. She continued to flip through the rest of the papers, finding more letters of recommendation and accounts of her past flying experiences. Cane even took care to falsely include her schooling at a highly esteemed academy in Kessendra, which was conveniently closed a few years ago due to a terrible and unforeseen episode of bankruptcy. As she scanned each page, multiple times, trying to absorb all the information, she felt slightly overwhelmed. All of this had happened so suddenly. She had no idea what her future held. Her future was now in the hands of her nonexistent piloting skills.

Shoving the papers in a brown bag and throwing it over her shoulder, she headed out of her apartment for the last time. Deep down she knew she wouldn’t miss it much, it wasn’t anything extravagant. 

The walk to the outskirts of the spacecraft sector went by much quicker than she had expected. Walking down the dim streets, she didn’t feel as sad as she thought she would. Yes, she would miss Kessel, but she knew brighter, better things awaited her off of the planet. As she reached the large fence that surrounded the ship bays, she was stopped by two stormtroopers.

“Please report your name and business.” One of them told her, shooting nerves throughout her body.

“Dallia Casbon. I’m one of the recruits.” She responded.

The stormtrooper looked visibly annoyed and signaled to the gatekeeper to open the gate to the premises. The large gate before her opened up slowly, revealing the bays along with other recruits waiting around.

“Thank you.” She squeaked nervously, dipping her head as she walked past them. 

After passing through the gate, she noticed an uptight looking woman handing out datapads and giving instructions. As she approached her, she realized that she was one of the coordinating officers, showing recruits where to go and giving them the supplies they needed.

“Name?” The woman asked her the moment she stepped up.

“Uh, Dallia Casbon, ma’am.” She told her.

The woman raised an eyebrow and handed her a personalized datapad. “This is your and yours only. This datapad includes instructions as to where you will depart from and where you should report for training. As I can see from my information here, you are one of the lucky ones chosen for the piloting program. Your training will take place on the First Order’s Finalizer, which is different from the other training programs. Consider yourself lucky.” She told Dallia in her monotone voice.

Dallia thanked her extensively, earning a strange look from the woman before walking up to the main elevator. As she reached the door, she decided to first look at her datapad.

The light flicked on, presenting a screen with her name, age, and program. Flipping through the other tabs, she noticed extensive planners, calendars, and maps, as well as her family history and her past experience, which must have been scanned when she signed up with Cane. Going back to the main page on the datapad, she read that the ship she’d be leaving from was in bay 2C. Realizing what that meant, she entered the elevator before her and pressed a button, which took her to the second story of the complex. 

The metal door in front of her opened as she reached the appropriate level, revealing about a half a dozen other recruits chatting amongst themselves. Nervously, she took a seat on top of some shipping crates near the door to the elevator. The recruits in front of her were dressed as if they were from the southern part of Kessel where money was more abundant. She felt as if her own appearance was very overwhelming. Before she could stress about it more, she noticed a hand sticking out in front of her.

“Hey, I’m Bendarr.” Said the boy in front of her. Well, he hardly seemed like a boy. He appeared to be slightly older than her, but with a face that made him seem younger.

“Uh, hey…” Dallia said, shaking his big hand. “I’m Dallia.”

He smiled widely. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out, I just saw you sitting alone and I wanted to introduce myself.”

“Oh, no worries.” Dallia assured him. “I just don’t really know anyone here. I didn’t really expect to make friends with anyone when I signed up. I just assumed everyone would be too entrenched in their training.”

“Well Dallia, no worries, you can consider me a friend.” He said with a very dorky wink, making Dallia let out a laugh. “I don’t even really want to be here, to be honest. My parents pressured me to because my father was also a pilot. I can only hope that I find some passion for flying before training ends.” He told her, rolling his eyes jokingly.

“Thank you, Bendarr, that’s very kind of you. And I’m sure you’ll do great in training, even if it isn’t your passion.” She told him kindly.

He smiled back at her, making her blush, something a boy had never made her do before. 

  
  



	4. Protocol and Procedures

After a little while of talking with Bendarr, Dallia finally concluded that he was quite different than anyone she had ever met on Kessel. Besides the fact that he came from a family of significant wealth, of course. He was also quite hilarious and charming, reminding her slightly of Cane, whom she had started to miss. In the span of them talking, he had made her laugh nearly 10 times, which was quite impressive to her. Being alone most days, wandering the streets, looking for something to do, usually didn’t result in her laughing, unless she was with Cane at one of the cantinas. 

Just as Bendarr started explaining one of his childhood memories involving an old speeder he found in the woods, a hush fell over the small crowd. The man from the announcement ceremony stepped out of the large elevator in front of them, two stormtroopers were at his side. The stern expression on his face was the same one Dallia remembered seeing right before her name was called off of the recruitment list. 

“List up!” He nearly shouted. “As everyone should know, your training will take place on the Finalizer beginning tomorrow. After you board the ship behind you, your introduction ceremony will take place, giving you all the information you will need regarding this program.”

“Seat buddies?” Bendarr whispered with a grin to Dallia as the man continued to speak.

“Of course.” She responded, happy that she wouldn’t have to endure an entire ceremony alone.

“As you enter this program, you enter part of the First Order.” The man went on. “No misconduct will be tolerated. Being a recruit for our piloting program, you must know that your position is highly sought after by many across the galaxy. Do not take this position lightly. Although your training has not yet begun, I would like to inform you that not everyone receives a position as a pilot upon finishing this program. It is also possible to be dismissed before your training has been completed for any reason we feel fit.” The man stopped, glaring at the small crowd before him. “You may now board the ship.”

Silently, which Dallia suspected was out of fear, the group began to board one by one onto the ship. As she passed the threshold of the ship, a large, plain space filled with seats was before her. Quickly, her and Bendarr took seats up near the front of the room near a podium where she expected the ceremony would be given from. 

Once everyone was seated and still, a rumble came from underneath the ship, indicating its takeoff. Dallia looked around, wondering where the red-haired man was, only to not find him anywhere. Before she could think more of it, a flicker of light came from the podium before them, showing a projection of the man, who must have been on another ship.

“This is General Hux of the First Order.” He announced, finally informing Dallia of his name. “The estimated duration of the flight to the Finalizer is 10 hours, so I urge you, once this introduction segment is finished, to make your way back to the cabins and rest up. I also urge you to review basic flight procedures on your datapads, which will help you through the early stages of this program.”

The ceremony went on for what felt like forever. In reality, it was only 30 minutes, but near the end, Dallia’s eyes were beginning to feel heavy. The General’s speech consisted of explaining protocol for arriving to daily lessons in a timely manner and expectations regarding appearance and work ethic. He also described what most daily schedules would consist of, taking time to go through the resources each datapad held. At the end of the ceremony, he again reminded the recruits that they were very much expendable, making Dallia a little uneasy. She knew it was true, even if it was mostly said to intimidate, but there was still fear in the back of her mind about not being able to keep up with all the lies Cane fabricated.

As General Hux signed off, releasing them from the ceremony, Dallia started wondering where she could take a nap. As her and Bendarr started walking around the ship, they eventually found the passenger quarters. Most of them seemed to be occupied with other recruits. 

“C’mon,” Bendarr told her. “Let’s go find a space and hang out.” 

They both walked to the end of the hallway to one of the last empty spaces. Despite being pretty tired, Dallia stepped into the tiny room with Bendarr. She didn’t want to push her only friend away already, she knew she could always nap later.

“So, what do you want to do?” She asked him as she sat on the opposite side of the cot from him. She set her bag on the floor next to her and began to take off her heavy boots, trying to get comfortable. The padding on the cot underneath her was soft and comfortable, much different than the one she had at home. 

“Well, hm…” He hummed, thinking. “You know, since we’re stationed on the Finalizer, I bet we’ll see Kylo Ren. How scary is that?”

Dallia laughed nervously. “He does seem quite intimidating, huh? I’ve heard stories about him choking people with the force.”

“Better not be late to your lessons then.” He teased, winking.

Dallia laughed along with him. She watched his hand move up to his face and brush through his curly brown hair. He looked up, catching her watching.

“What?” He asked with a grin.

“Oh… I was just…” She stammered nervously. “You have really big hands.”

He gave her a funny face and moved closer to her. Picking up her hand, he pressed his palm to hers, measuring the difference in size. Dallia looked away out of embarrassment that he would see her red cheeks.

He hummed. “I suppose I do.”

Dallia tried her best to compose herself out of fear that he’d she her nearly melting. Her face continued to feel as if it were burning. 

“I don’t know why I said that…” She told him awkwardly.

He looked grinned again. “Don’t worry. I say stupid things too.”

“Can I say another stupid thing?” Dallia asked as she felt a sudden surge of confidence.

Bendarr nodded, looking a little confused.

“I like you… I think.” She said, looking at him awkwardly.

He started laughing. “You think?”

Dallia nodded her head as she started to laugh with him. 

“I like you too… I think.” He told her, still laughing. 

As they continued to joke around, Dallia couldn’t help but feeling a warm, happy feeling inside of herself, making all of her worries melt away. She couldn’t wait to begin training with her new friend.

  
  



	5. Sleep

The air in the room felt slightly cold to Dallia, chilling her slightly. Beneath her was some kind of comfortable padding, which was quite foreign and unfamiliar. As she began to hear a soft droning noise, her heart skipped a beat. Bolting upright, she gasped, realizing what had happened. Her eyes squinted, trying to adjust to the bright lights above her head. Looking to her left, she saw Bendarr fast asleep. She sighed heavily. 

Vaguely, she remembered talking with Bendarr for a while. She didn’t even remember laying down or falling asleep. Bendarr was still asleep, breathing shallowly. Dallia smiled to herself as she watched his chest rise and fall. He looked so peaceful. Moving her glance up to his face, she took a second to admire how gorgeous he really was. She knew she felt something towards him, she just couldn’t believe she admitted it to him that quickly. Deep down, she prayed that he really did feel the same. After all, he did tell her that he liked her as well… or so he thought. 

He began to stir beside her, shifting on the cot slightly. Dallia watched him begin to rub his eyes and open them slowly. He suddenly whipped his head in her direction. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” He said, standing up quickly from the cot, trying to give her some room. “I honestly don’t remember falling asleep I-”

“Don’t worry.” Dallia assured him. “I don’t remember either. I suppose we both were tired”

He let out a small, uncomfortable laugh. “I just hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable or anything.”

“Of course not.” She said. “You’re one of the kindest people I’ve met in a long time.”

Bendarr blushed. He awkwardly sat back down on the cot, keeping his eyes down in his lap. Dallia kept her gaze on his face, wanting to see more. His face was nearly mesmerizing to look at. It was beautiful but in a way that Dallia had never seen before. His eyes were green like the trees on Endor. His hair was a light brown, resembling the color of the puddles she used to avoid on the streets of Kessel. Whenever he moved his head, Dallia would stare at his curls, watching them move about, which was adorable to her. 

“You’re very kind too.” He responded. “I’m glad I introduced myself.”

Dallia nodded in agreement. She felt another chill run throughout her body, causing her to wrap her arms around her torso, trying to create some heat. Without saying a word, Bendarr took off the outer jacket he was wearing and wrapped it around her, making her blush to a color she never thought was possible. A warm feeling inside of her started again, making her think back to when they first sat down in this room with her sharing one too many secrets. Cuddling closer into the jacket, she picked up the heavy scent of Kesselian liquor. Being a former bartender sure had its perks.

Beside her, Bendarr pulled out his datapad, looking at the time. He informed her that there was still another 4 hours left of the flight. 

Dallia groaned. “I wish this ship would hurry up.”

“Me too.” He agreed. “I can’t wait to see the living quarters.”

“What do you think they’ll be like?” Dallia asked.

“Well I don’t know much about them but I do know that we each get our own quarters.” He said. “Not many pilots are recruited, even after disasters like Starkiller. I’m assuming the recruits from a few other planets should be arriving when we do.”

“I’m nervous.” Dallia sighed.

Bendarr looked at her, confused. “I’ve read your family history. How could someone like you be nervous?”

“I suppose Hux’s intimidation tactics are working.” She replied quickly, giving a nervous laugh. He was right. She couldn’t show her nerves, too many people had access to her “family records”.

Bendarr continued to mock the General’s ridiculous speech, making the both of them laugh. It  _ was  _ quite ridiculous how the General spoke to all of them like they were stupid. She couldn’t wait to meet more personnel on the Finalizer to see if they all were as uptight and stern as General Hux.

“What are we supposed to do for 4 hours?” Dallia wondered out loud, earning a face full of thought from Bendarr.

“I’m not sure.” He responded, still thinking. “I could go get us some food if you’d like. I’m sure there’s a kitchen on this ship somewhere.”

“Oh, you’re too kind. Are you sure you don’t need help?” Dallia asked.

“No, I’m quite alright.” He told her, smiling. “Feel free to chill. I’ll be right back.”

Before leaving the small room, he gave her a dorky wink, causing Dallia to roll her eyes sarcastically. She wasn’t exactly hungry but she planned on keeping whatever he brought back in case she got hungry later during the flight. She was used to hoarding food for later, which was something she knew she would have to drop once she boarded the Finalizer.

Dallia sat there on the cot for a few minutes before laying back down on the comfy surface. The pillow smelled like Bendarr, making her think back to his charming personality. She only hoped that training wouldn’t keep them apart. Hopefully their living quarters on the Finalizer would be near each other. She was starting to love having his company. He was so kind and considerate while also being such an entertaining dork, making him the complete package. Even if the both of them never got together, she still wanted to be his friend. Just as she finished her thought, the silver door to the door slid open revealing Bendarr, his arms full of fancy ration packs.

“Look what I found.” He said, setting them on the cot. “They were fully stocked with the premium ones. They taste way better than the regular ration packs.”

“I’ve never had this kind.” Dallia told him as she began to unwrap one. She took a bite and her face lit up. “Okay wow… you were right. These  _ are  _ good.”

“Told you!” He laughed, opening one for himself.

As they sat there eating, Dallia huddled under Bendarr’s warm jacket. She was still tired despite her recent nap. Watching Bendarr finish his ration pack, she lay back down on the cot, getting comfortable. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Bendarr picked up his datapad and began reviewing material for the first part of training. 

“Mind reading it out loud?” She asked him, smiling shyly.

He smiled and moved closer to her. “Lesson 1: Proper Flight Protocol…” He began.

For a while, Dallia listened to every word he said, trying to absorb all information she was already supposed to know. Bendarr's soft voice explained the first lesson of flight procedures as if he had been talking about it his whole life, which was quite impressive to Dallia. As he reached half-way through the lesson, she felt her eyelids start to flutter close. Her body began to relax, helping her into a deep sleep. 

_ Surrounding her again were walls of silver, leading to the same corner she had seen in her previous dream. She approached it this time with more confidence and curiosity to finally see what was waiting beyond the bend. Reaching the corner, she saw the familiar dark shadow, peering at the relic before him. With a sudden rush of adrenaline, Dallia took a step around the corner to see the back of a large, hooded man. His huge body was draped in black robes that reached the floor. The relic was in front of him, out of view, yet Dallia could feel power radiating from it somehow. She began to feel nervous, scared even, staring at the motionless figure’s back. Her body began to shake, her hands felt clammy, as she took another step towards the man. Out of nowhere and in a split second, the figure clenched his gloved fist. Immediately, Dallia began to feel a pressure around her throat. Her hand moved up to her neck, trying to massage it to get rid of the odd discomfort. She disregarded the feeling after a few moments and took another step, feeling the pressure suddenly increase. Gasping, she inched forward again. Every inch she moved, the grip on her throat tightened, causing her to retreat around the corner. Her lungs finally expanded, free from restriction. Massaging her throat once more, she looked around, confused.  _

_ As she sat there, in the dim hallway, she began to feel dizzy. She closed her eyes, trying to center herself as best she could. With squeezing them shut, a deep headache started, adding to the dizziness. She suddenly felt a breeze across her face, causing her to open her eyes. Before her was a vast open field sprinkled with flowers. Up ahead, the horizon was painted with tumbling waterfalls, misting the sweet smelling air around her. The brightness of the shining sun above made her squint, as she turned around to see what was behind her. A few paces towards some trees, she saw a dark-haired man sitting on a soft woven blanket, surrounded by a few plates of food. The man smiled, creating a very strange feeling deep in her gut. His angular face was absolutely beautiful, drawing her in closer.  _

_ “Come here, my love.” He called out to her sweetly, causing her to suddenly feel nervous and quite confused. _

_ She approached the blanket he was sitting on, fearful of what to do next. His large, pale hand reached out to hers, pulling her down on top of his lap, earning a tiny, embarrassing yelp from her. He wrapped his huge arms around her, securing her tightly in his seemingly loving grip. Gazing ahead to the waterfalls, he sighed. Before Dallia could ask his name, she felt another intense headache, hindering her speech. _

“Hey, Dallia, wake up!” She heard an echoey voice say. Finally snapping out of the strange vision, she opened her eyes to see Bendarr above her, worried. 

“I think I fell asleep…” She admitted, embarrassment running through her.

“Hey, don’t worry about that.” He assured her. “It just looked like you were having a bad dream or something. You looked very uneasy.”

“Oh…” She mumbled. “I don’t really remember the dream, honestly. But thank you for waking me up.”

He smiled. “It’s no problem. After all, I was about to read the  _ very  _ exciting review of crash landing procedures.” He told her, rolling his eyes jokingly.

“Be my guest.” She said, smiling.

As Bendarr began to read on, it took almost all of her strength to pay attention and not slip into another unexpected nap. Even though the review was quite boring and filled with material that seemed like common sense, Bendarr tried his best to make it interesting so they both could review as much as possible. 

The remaining hours left on the ship went by surprisingly fast to Dallia. She had learned a lot of information from Bendarr, who was more than happy to review with her. She felt confident for the following day, when the lessons would actually begin. In addition to that, she had learned a lot about Bendarr. He spent nearly an hour describing his childhood on Kessel, which was quite different from her own. Bendarr grew up with no worries, no struggles. Life seemed to come easy for him. Dallia envied a life like that: carefree, easy. At the same time, she knew she wouldn’t trade her life for anything, despite the hardships. She had made it so far on her own and she knew that she should be proud of herself instead of feeling jealousy for others.

As the huge rumbling ship finally docked on the Finalizer, the recruits began to huddle in the main area, a nervous energy could be felt among them. After a few moments of nervous chatter, the large ship door hissed, lowering to reveal the hangar they were docked in. Dallia gave Bendarr a nervous look, stepping out of the ship with the crowd. 

The hangar was by far the largest room Dallia had ever seen. Tie-Fighters lined the walls, engineers bustled around, looking very busy. Enormous metal walls boxed them in, which seemed to reach for miles around them. Dallia let go of a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She scanned the facility once more, seeing formations of stormtroopers to the left and a mouse droid scurry by to her right. As she looked forward, she recognized General Hux, who was approaching them, the two stormtroopers still at his side.

“Please continue to walk forward.” He announced, as the last recruits emerged out of the ship and into the gigantic hangar. “You will now be escorted to your temporary living quarters. Once there, we urge you not to leave until your introductory lesson tomorrow morning, where you will meet the other recruits. Being such a low rank on board this ship, you will only have access to certains areas, which will be discussed tomorrow morning as well.”

He turned to the stormtrooper on his left, giving him a command. 

“Follow me.” The white armored man told them.

He led the small crowd of recruits back through so many hallways that Dallia began to lose track of where she was, relative to the hangar. Following him through a large threshold, a long hallway stretched out before them labeled  _ Kessel Pilot Recruits. _

“This is your hallway.” The trooper informed them. “Each room is labeled. You are free to go.”

He then left, leaving the group to find their own rooms. Dallia was nervous to see who would be in the room across from hers. Seeing her expression, Bendarr took her hand, causing her to flinch, not expecting such a gesture. 

She then took a deep breath. “Will you help me find my room?” She asked.

Bendarr gave her a smile. “Of course.”

They made their way down the almost empty hallway. Most of the others had already found their rooms. On each door, Dallia read off of a silver plaque, which presented each room’s owner. She reached the end of the hallway, finally finding her name. Immediately, she whipped around, facing the room across from hers.  _ Bendarr Iben.  _ She let out a huge sigh of relief.

“How lucky is that?” Bendarr exclaimed. “We’re so close!”

Dallia smiled, happy that her new friend would be so close. “I’m so glad we are.”

Bendarr stood across the hallway, in front of his room, looking back at her as if he were admiring her. She blushed, assuring him that she’d see him the next day. After saying goodnight, Dallia finally entered her room.

When stepping into the room, she saw a large, comfortable bed in front of her, which made her feel very relieved. She knew she would need good sleep after all the training that was to start tomorrow. To her left was a sliding door that led to the bathroom, which was simple and clean, much better than anything Dallia had ever seen on Kessel. Walking back to the room, she saw a wardrobe on the opposite wall. When opening it, she gasped. Fresh, clean uniforms hung on hangers before her. Pinned to the most visible jacket was a note, telling her to arrive to training the next day in the uniform. Closing the wardrobe, she fell back onto the comfortable bed, feeling the soft mattress beneath her cradle her small body.  _ What luxury! _ She told herself.

Before she was even able to get under the sleek, gray bedspread, she was out like a light. 

  
  



	6. The Present

A faint beeping sound came from underneath her early the next morning. Dallia rolled over slowly, realizing it was her datapad she had fallen asleep on. Turning on the screen, there was a message, telling her that she was to report to one of the lecture halls for their first lesson in an hour, with a reminder of what to wear and to keep a professional appearance. Shutting off the alarm, she turned over onto her back, savoring a few more moments on the plush bed. After letting out a huff, she rolled off the bed and headed towards the sleek bathroom. 

She glanced at herself in the mirror before starting to undress. Her appearance was dirty and exhausted, making her wonder if even a shower could get the job done. Living on Kessel all of those years had made her eyes look nearly dead, a visible sign of the many restless nights she spent on her stiff cot, which had also, in turn, made her body stiff. Finally finding some relaxation under the hot stream of water in the shower, she realized that she hadn’t ever taken a shower this luxurious. Normally, her showers back home were lukewarm and very rushed, out of fear that she'd run out of water. Here, she could take a hot shower all day if she wanted to. Finding some soap on the ledge behind her, she began to scrub every inch of her body vigorously. 

As she began to scrub her arms, she felt an intense pressure take over her head, similar to the headaches she had during her dream on the ship. Her vision became cloudy suddenly, replacing it with a scene much different than any other dream she ever had. Before her stood the man from the field, standing in what looked like First Order chambers on some ship. Confused, she stepped forward, only to feel the shower floor beneath her feet. She then realized: this wasn’t a dream set in the future… it was a dream happening that very moment. It felt so much different than the other dreams she had before. It felt deep and more tangible than her past dreams. The others seemed like visions of what would happen. This one was now, in the present.

The man spoke, interrupting her thoughts, “Who are you?”

“Dallia Casbon… I’m one of the recruits on the-”

“How are you doing this?” He interrupted, looking confused and slightly irritated.

“I- I don’t know.” She stuttered, getting nervous. “I’ve had strange visions of what I think is the future but I haven’t experienced anything like this…”

She paused for a moment. “Can you see me like how I see you?”

“Yes.” The man answered without hesitation, earning a horrified look from Dallia. 

Trying her best to cover her body, she felt her heart race. “Are you here… on the Finalizer? You feel… close.” She asked.

“And why would I tell you that?” The man scoffed.

“I don’t know… I’m just confused.” She told him, embarrassed. “I’ve seen you before, in the future.”

The man looked away from her, his black hair falling across his face. Before Dallia could say another word, she was back in the shower, under the hot stream.  _ What is wrong with me?  _ She told herself with her hand on her arm, pinching herself. 

When she finally got out of the shower, she checked her datapad, seeing that she had 30 minutes until her first lesson. After drying her body off, she headed over to the wardrobe, taking out a jacket, pants, and shoes. With a little looking, she eventually found undergarments in a drawer across from her bed. As she began to put on the uniform, she felt her confidence rise, finally feeling like an actual recruit. Before heading out of her room, she looked in the mirror one last time to see that her appearance was much better than before. She looked fresh and professional, just like the General had requested. As a final touch, she tied her hair back, out of her face.

She met Bendarr in the hallway before starting the walk to the lecture hall, which was shown on her datapad’s map. They talked about a few useless things on the way but she couldn’t stop thinking about that man in her vision. His figure was so intimidating and powerful, consuming her thoughts. She remembered his face having a long scar on it, leading her to wonder how he had gotten it. Even though she knew it was forbidden, she made plans to search for him later that night.  _ I know he’s here somewhere.  _ She thought to herself.  _ I feel him. _

Finally reaching the lecture hall, her and Bendarr took seats up near the front. She set her datapad on the small desk in front of her, which was clean and silver. 

“Are you ready?” Bendarr asked her.

She nodded in response. Yes, she was ready but she was extremely nervous and her thoughts were very occupied by a dark-haired man. Taking some deep breaths, she watched a man in a black uniform come in and stand in front of the class. 

“Hello, I’m Lieutenant Dag and I will be your instructor for today.” He announced. “Currently, I pilot TIE Fighters, meaning I will later teach you about small craft flying. For today, we begin with a small introduction and we will also discuss more rules regarding your stay on the Finalizer.”

While the man was talking, it took all of Dallia’s strength to keep her mind focused and not wandering to other intrusive thoughts. The man seemed interesting enough, earning respect from her for being such an accomplished pilot. As she listened to him begin to talk about the things her and Bendarr had reviewed the day before, she let her mind slip into another deep though. 

“Stop doing that.” The dark-haired man said, startling her.

She looked around, noticing that she was in his chambers. Nearby was a large bed similar to his. Feeling the stiff seat from the lecture hall beneath her, she realized that she was having another strange vision.

“I want to know who you are.” She told him, nearly pleading. 

He laughed, making her feel insecure. “I know this is just a trick.” He said. “Get out of my chambers.”

“But I need to know!” She begged. “You’re consuming my thoughts.”

The man looked at her as if she had said something shocking. He began to scowl. “If you’re so gifted with the force why are you training to become a pilot?”

Dallia paused. “The force?”

He nodded his head slowly, staring at her. “You’re weaseling your way into my head, something only a force user could do.”

“I- I don’t have the force.” She stuttered, very confused.

The man laughed again, almost maniacally. “Come see me tonight, then. I’ll show you.”

She suddenly felt a sharp pain on her arm as she realized that she was back in the lecture hall. Bendarr had just pinched her, getting her attention.

“Are you okay?” He asked, looking very concerned.

“Yeah…” She told him. “I just zoned out, I guess.”

Focusing back onto the lecturer, who was explaining where the cafeteria was and its hours of operation, she couldn’t help but feel anxious about that night. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I know not many people have read this story but I just wanted to extend my thanks to anyone who does. It means a lot. Also, I'd like to apologize if my chapters appear to be short, especially this one. I usually work in ~1000 word increments and post each as a chapter. I would like to start posting longer chapters so stay tuned for that. All comments and words of advice are appreciated. Thank you :)


	7. The Red-Paneled Room

It was very late that night when Dallia decided to leave her room. She worried about getting caught, but she knew not many would be out this late, except for those working night shifts, who wouldn't be in the hallways anyway. Slipping out of her room, she felt her heart start to race suddenly. She realized that the man had not told her where to go. To the best of her ability, she tried to feel his location deep within her, which to her surprise, worked. She felt a pull towards down the hall, leading her to an intersection. Reaching out again, deciding to turn right. After a few more turns, she was led to a long, dark hallway where the pull seemed to be originating from. Carefully she walked to the end where she was stopped by a large door with a keypad. Awkwardly, she reached out to touch the keypad, only to have the heavy door slide open before her hand even touched the buttons. 

Inside of the room was dark, cold and sleek. She froze, finally seeing a bed in the back of the room. _He led me to his chambers._

Now desperate to see the man and ask him why, she reached out, feeling that he was down a hallway to her left. Feeling awkward and nervous, she slowly made her way down the hallway, which ended in a turn around the corner. The corner from her vision. She felt her heart rate pick up, feeling that he was around the corner, just like in the vision. Holding her breath, she stepped around the bend and saw his back to her. Whipping around, a red, crackling lightsaber came within inches of her face. 

“Oh... “ He mumbled, putting away his saber. “It’s you.”

“Did you not feel me here, like how I feel you?” She asked.

“I was too deep in thought.” He answered. 

Dallia couldn’t get a look at the relic, his large body was blocking it.

“Why do you have a lightsaber?” She asked, quite confused.

He looked amused all of a sudden. “Do you not know who I am?”

Dallia shook her head, earning another amused look from him. From underneath his cloak he lifted his hand, showing a helmet in it. Dallia suddenly couldn’t feel her legs. She refused to believe she was standing in front of the most powerful man in the galaxy. Why would she be having visions of _him?_ Her head was swimming with questions. 

Falling on her knees, she began to shake with fear. “Why did you lead me here?” She cried.

“I think you could be of some use to me.” He told her. “You clearly have a strong connection to the force and you’re already loyal to the First Order, making my job easy.”

Dallia’s hands began to sweat as she looked up at him nervously. “What do I have to do?”

“Come see me first thing after your lessons tomorrow. Do not tell anyone of this.” He ordered.

Nodding in response, Dallia got up from her knees. “Before I leave, may I ask you a question uh… sir?” 

“Make it quick.” He snapped.

Dallia’s face turned red. “Why do I feel this connection to you? I’ve seen you in visions of the future. So far only one has come true.”

“I… have had visions as well.” He admitted, although still visibly annoyed with her question. “I don’t know why either. All the more reason to see me tomorrow. We will find answers.”

Dallia nodded again, too afraid to speak.

“You are dismissed.” He told her.

Somewhat relieved, Dallia left his chambers as quickly as possible. Running through the hallways, she made it back to her room in no time. She shut the door behind her and let out a breath of relief. Still feeling as if she were dreaming, she got into bed and fell asleep before she could even replay the night’s events in her head.

The next morning, Dallia woke up to her beeping datapad again. Groaning, she rolled over, turning it off. Getting out of bed and into the shower, she couldn’t help but think about Kylo Ren. He must have been one of the most intimidating people she had ever met. Even when standing in front of him last night, she was able to feel power seeping into the connective force she felt with him. She truly had no idea why she was able to use the force in that way and why it was connected to him. For her whole life, she always felt like she was different and more connected to the energy waves that flow through the galaxy but she never knew she was force sensitive. Perhaps it was all a trick. Maybe she was just seeing things. Even as these thoughts began making their way into her mind, she still made plans to find Kylo Ren that night, which would hopefully lead to some answers. 

After several minutes of getting ready, she stepped out into the hallway, meeting Bendarr for their walk to the lecture hall.

“You look beautiful today.” He told her, making her blush.

“Thank you, Bendarr. You do too.” She replied kindly.

She felt his fingers lace between hers as they walked down the hallway, causing her heart to flutter. Quickly, she pulled her hand away from his, remembering where they were.

“I don’t think we should do that here.” She whispered. “I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“Oh, of course.” He laughed. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“No worries.” She told him, smiling.

After the long walk, they made it to the room and took the same seats as the day before. As class began, a new pilot introduced himself, informing the class that the day’s lesson would be on basic parts of small combat spacecraft. Trying to pay attention, Dallia took notes of the most important concepts on her datapad, which she promised herself she’d review after the lesson. The lesson, which was nearly two hours long, was quite boring to her, as it was still only the beginning of the training. To wrap up the lesson, after the very boring two hours, the man answered a few questions from some of the other recruits. Following his dismissal, she felt relieved to be free as she gathered her things. She was thankful that their lessons were so short the first week. During the lesson the day before, the man had made it clear that real, full day training would begin the following week. The first week was mostly for familiarizing recruits with different types of ships and procedures. 

Datapad in hand, she walked to the cafeteria with Bendarr, somewhere she’d never been. When arriving, she looked around seeing many metal tables and chairs along with a line in the back for food. Getting in line, Bendarr began talking about how amazing the living quarters were, Dallia nodded her head in agreement.

“I can’t believe the showers.” She told him. “I mean… it’s crazy to actually have hot water.”

Bendarr smiled lightly in return, never having experienced a problem like that back on Kessel. His house always had hot water, which was something he took for granted.

Grabbing their food from the bar, they left the line in search of a table. Finding a suitable one near the corner, they both sat down and began eating the strange mush that was served to them. The atmosphere around them was crowded and noisy, everyone seemed to be rushed, no matter what they were doing. 

The meal was adequate, consisting of mush, a side of mush, and a strange orange-colored milk, which wasn’t terrible. Dallia had to agree that it was much better than living off of ration packs down on Kessel. At least on the Finalizer, food was nearly infinite, never leaving anyone hungry. It was as if eating was simply routine and not something you had to fight for. It was a strange luxury Dallia was more than excited to participate in. 

“How was your um… food?” Bendarr asked him once they both finished. 

“Not terrible.” She chimed. “I honestly expected worse.”

Bendarr laughed, agreeing with her. “Do you want to go back to my room and hang?” He asked.

Dallia thought for a moment. “Only if we can study for a few minutes.”

“Study?” He exclaimed. “That stuff was easy! Why do you need to study?”

Dallia looked down at her lap. “I just want to keep it fresh in my brain I suppose.”

Reading her embarrassment, Bendarr agreed to studying for a little bit once they got to his room. He didn’t want to make her upset and perhaps studying would be beneficial for him too.

Getting back to their rooms from the cafeteria proved to be quite a challenge. On the way, they made a wrong turn, causing them to be severely lost and having to resort to pulling up directions of their datapads, which luckily led them back to the long, familiar hallway. Bendarr held open the door for her as they walked into the room.

“Mine looks exactly the same.” Dallia laughed, looking around at the familiar room. “They all must have the same layout.”

Bendarr sat on the edge of his bed, motioning for Dallia to join him. Hesitantly, she sat down a few inches from him and pulled out her datapad, beginning to find her notes from earlier that day. She began talking through the material, explaining everything and going into detail about the few concepts she felt like she needed to memorize the most. Bendarr listened carefully, watching her mouth. Just as Dallia was about to start discussing the second page of her notes, she felt his hand reach up to her chin and tilt it towards him. Her whole body flushed red as she looked into his eyes nervously. Without a thought, he leaned forward, letting their lips touch, making Dallia’s heart skip a beat. She moved her hand up to his face, leaning into a deeper kiss, not wanting to let go. After a few seconds, they pulled away, needing air. 

Dallia smiled and looked away, embarrassed. “I can’t believe that just happened.”

“Me neither.” He replied, letting out a breath of relief. “I’m glad I did.”

“Ben… I’m glad too.” Dallia told him, still smiling.

After talking more, they went back to reviewing the material on their datapads, which lasted nearly two hours. By the end of it, Dallia was exhausted physically and mentally. After reluctantly saying goodbye to Bendarr, she headed back to her room, knowing that she needed some rest. It had been a good but tiring day. She was still in shock that Bendarr had actually kissed her. Kissing him felt so right to her, it felt so genuine and good. She was honestly still surprised he even liked her. 

Falling onto her soft bed, she sighed. It was going to be a long night. To say she was nervous about meeting Kylo Ren again would be an understatement. She was nearly terrified. He was the most powerful man in the universe; he could do anything he wanted to her and she wouldn’t even be able to question it. Another thing that made her uneasy was her vision of them in the field of flowers. There, he was so… sweet and loving, which was strange to her. She remembered him calling her “my love”, a pet name that confused her very much. Surely they weren’t supposed to end up together. She liked Bendarr, not Kylo Ren, which would most likely be disastrous if she did. Trying to push thoughts of the confusing vision out of her head, she rolled over and looked at the tiny clock on her nightstand. It was almost 6. Frustrated that it wasn’t night yet, she set an alarm for 10 on her datapad and promptly fell asleep.

_She stood in a huge red paneled room, facing a brown-haired girl, who was very out of breath. In her hand was a blue lightsaber, her stance was strong. Dallia looked to her own right to see Kylo Ren beside her, panting as well. Looking around more, she saw six, red-armored men scattered around the room, dead on the floor. She wondered if she had killed them._

_“Please Ben…” The girl pleaded, looking at Kylo Ren, confusing Dallia. Why did she call him Ben? The girl looked terrified. “Please, take my hand.”_

_“No.” Kylo snapped, startling Dallia. “You know deep down that you belong here. Take my hand and us three will begin our own reign.”_

_She watched a tear slip from the girl’s eye, onto her cheek. “I can’t do that.”_

_“Yes, you can!” Kylo told her. “You both are placing too much hope in the Jedi. It’s time for them to end.”_

_“I know there is good in you!” She cried, growing more desperate. “You can join us and bring back the Jedi. I see the light in you!”_

_Dallia felt like crying for some reason after hearing the girl talk. She watched Kylo beside her shrink to his knees, dropping his lightsaber._

_“Get out…” He whispered. “Get off this ship before I kill you.”_

_Defeaten and heartbroken, the girl left the room running, leaving them both alone. The air in the room was still and heavy, causing a strange feeling in Dallia’s chest._

_She heard Kylo begin to speak. “She is right. I need to leave this place.”_

_“Yes… you do.” Dallia felt herself say._

  
  



	8. Two Sisters

Waking up with a jolt, snapped out of her strange dream. Her hands were cold and shaking as she turned on her datapad, seeing that her alarm was set to go off in 15 minutes. Promptly, she turned it off and sat up in the bed. She couldn’t stop thinking about the dream she just had. _Why did the girl call Kylo “Ben”? Who was she anyway?_ She thought.

With a sigh, she decided to go find Kylo Ren. Shutting the door behind her, she looked across the hallway to Bendarr's door. She smiled lightly for a second and then proceeded to head down the hallway, not wanting to get distracted. She knew Kylo Ren was waiting for her and she didn’t want to take too long getting there. After turning a couple more corners, she felt the familiar pull take her to a large elevator door that was in a part of the ship she had never been to. Entering the elevator, she looked around. As it took her to another level of the ship, the metal bars that encased her rattled gently. As it finally slowed, reaching its destination, she found herself in front of another door. The door before her seemed special for some reason; its height loomed over her. Within, she felt a surge of power radiating from the center of the room, causing a chill to run through her body. She walked up to the door, letting it open automatically.

Upon entering, her whole body froze. The walls in the room were tall and red. Just like her vision. Before her Kylo Ren with his helmet in his hand, who turned around when hearing the door open. He seemed to smirk when seeing her there, making her nervous. Behind Kylo Ren was a large, regal throne. Her eyes moved to the man who was sitting there, his powerful gaze was upon her, making her feel miniscule. He was wrapped in golden robes, which covered most of his decrepit, worn skin. Around the room, Dallia saw six guards, all dressed in a red that was similar to the tall walls around them.

“Come, child…” The old man hummed. “Don’t be afraid. I’ve heard much about you.”

Dallia lowered her head and walked forward, closer to the man. She didn’t know where to look. Feeling the eyes of everyone in the room, she felt her hands start to sweat.

The man began to speak again. “Kylo Ren has told me about you. He claims that you are force sensitive. Is that true?”

“Yes…” Dallia squeaked. “That’s what I’ve been told. It has allowed me to see into the future.”

“Is that all?” The man asked. 

“I’ve also felt an odd connection through the force towards Kylo Ren, sir.” She told him. “I’ve been able to be with him, even while not in the same room. I don’t quite understand it.”

The old man hummed, seeming very amused. “A force dyad perhaps.”

Kylo Ren interrupted his moment of thought. “Supreme Leader, I haven’t known this girl for very long. How is that possible?”

The man raised an eyebrow. “Anything is possible, my apprentice. I will have to look into it.” He looked towards Dallia. “Now, child, come closer.”

Dallia took a few steps forward. 

“I feel the power within you. I feel the potential you have.” He hummed, staring into her eyes. “I would like to invite you to train under Kylo Ren, who I think is more than capable of this task.”

“Of course, Supreme Leader.” Kylo Ren said, bowing his head out of respect.

“This means, of course, that you will no longer be my apprentice.” The man continued, facing Kylo Ren. “You are ready for the next step of your journey.”

“I trust your judgement, Supreme Leader.” He replied. “I’m prepared to accept this task.”

“Good, good…” The old man said. “You have done well, my apprentice. I will still expect weekly contact so I may oversee the progressions in your training. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Supreme Leader…” Kylo Ren replied.

The old man grinned, turning back to Dallia. “Now, child, I will have one of my guards come by your room tomorrow and show you to your new one. Also, there will be no need to keep attending your lessons, as you will be taking lessons from Kylo Ren from now on.”

“Supreme Leader uh…” Dallia said awkwardly. “Is there any chance I will have other opportunities to fly?”

“Well of course, my child.” He replied, looking amused. “Your training will consist of flying as well. Ren is an exceptional pilot.”

Dallia smiled lighty, feeling relieved. She did start to wonder about how she would tell Bendarr about all of this, though. After all, she was to move rooms, which saddened her slightly. She would miss being so close to Bendarr. At least they were on the same ship. Perhaps they could still have lunch at the cafeteria together.

“I believe I have said all that I needed to say.” The man told them. “I expect both of you to visit me here tomorrow after your first day of training. You both are dismissed.”

Dallia nodded her head awkwardly and made her way to the elevator with Kylo. As the door closed, she felt a strange tension in the air. Kylo stood there for a few silent moments before speaking in a low voice.

“You mustn’t tell your friend about this.” He told her, warningly. 

“You mean Ben?” She asked.

Beside her, he tensed up. “Bendarr Iben. I know you two are close.”

“How do you know?” She questioned, feeling quite confused.

“I just felt it.” He snapped, ending the conversation. 

As the elevator finally reached the lower floor and opened its door, Kylo put his helmet on and stormed back to his quarters. Dallia had to admit, he was strange. Their conversation a few seconds before had left her puzzled. Kylo had seemed almost jealous that she was close with Ben. Maybe it was something to do with the name Ben, like in her vision. It just didn’t make any sense to her.

After a long walk back to her room, she took off her shoes and flopped onto her bed. The soft drone of the ship helped her drift into a deep sleep, free from worry or anxiety. The next morning, she woke to the sound of knocking on her door, making her spring out of bed to answer the door. Outside was a guard, standing very stiffly.

“Supreme Leader Snoke sent me to gather your things and take you to your next room assignment.” He told her.

“Oh!” Dallia cried. “Yes um… all I have is my datapad. Let me grab that and I’ll be good to go.”

Hurriedly, she sprinted back to her bed, grabbed the datapad and met the man outside of her door again. As he led her down the hallway, she looked back to where Bendarr’s room was, feeling sad. Quickly, she turned on her datapad and sent him a message, telling him that she was sick and would be in the infirmary for the day instead of class. Trying to keep up with the guard, Dallia felt a familiar pull in the direction that he was leading her. As they rounded a corner, she knew where she was. Up ahead was the door to Kylo’s quarters. As her heart rate quickened, the guard led her to the door across from Kylo’s, telling her that her new room awaited inside. She thanked him and pressed the button on the side of the door, which scanned her and slid open, revealing quarters similar to Kylo’s. 

The room had the same amenities as her last one: a bathroom, a large bed, and storage for clothes. Looking down at her own clothes, she wondered what she’d be wearing while working with Kylo. Curiously, she opened the large wardrobe near the bed, finding black robes. They looked much better than her old training uniform. She carded through the hanging garments, seeing outer robes as well as lighter robes, which she assumed would be worn underneath. Grabbing both, she put them on, finding that they fit perfectly. It was still surprising to her how accurate and efficient the First Order was at issuing uniforms. She turned away from the wardrobe, looking at herself in the mirror. She looked _good._ Smiling, she admired the tight seams on the robes and the black band that hugged her waist. They were functional and light, allowing her to move more freely than her last uniform. 

As she began to tie back her hair, she began to feel nervous for her training. She had no idea what it would entail. She only hoped that she would soon be able to make sense of her visions. Suddenly her datapad beeped.

_Bendarr Iben: No worries, take all the time you need. I hope you feel better soon. Let me know when you’ll be back._

Looking at the message, she sighed. She wrote back, thanking him and saying that it won’t be too long. She missed him already. Without a warning, the door to her quarters slid open, revealing Kylo Ren, looking somewhat irritated. He barged in, not seeming to care that he was in her own personal space.

“Quit fooling around, it’s time to begin your training.” He huffed, storming out of the room, expecting her to follow.

Quickly, Dallia dropped her datapad and scurried after him, trying to keep up with his long strides. She followed him into a new area of the ship that seemed to be for different types of training. Upon him opening a wide door, she saw a dim room that held one small platform in the very center. Kylo motioned for her to sit on it. As she sat down, she watched him slowly begin to walk around her, looking amused.

“Before we begin, I’d like to know more about you.” He hummed. “Instead of talking, I’d rather go straight into your head to get a better understanding.”

“Okay…” She squeaked, starting to feel scared.

“There’s no need to feel scared…” He mumbled. “But… I must say that this _will_ hurt. Do not fight it.”

Dallia nodded slightly and closed her eyes, not knowing what to expect. She felt Kylo’s presence inch closer to her as his hand reached out. Bracing herself, she began to feel a dull ache in her head that continued to get worse with every second. Suddenly, without any warning, an image began flashing in and out of her vision. 

The image was of a mother and a father, aboard a ship, both holding a child. Dallia assumed that the two girls they held were twins, as they looked the same age, which had to be no older than three years old. Beneath her, she felt the ship land. As the ramp to the ship extended, a large man, of a species Dallia had never seen before, approached the parents with an irritated huff. She watched the mother, who had begun to cry, hand the large man the child she was holding. He took it, frowned and left immediately, leaving the woman in tears. Dallia didn't understand why she gave her child to the man. Confused, she looked out the ship’s window, seeing the man walk with the child in his hands, back to an outpost. The scenery around the outpost was nothing much to look at; it was arid, dusty, and tan. Before Dallia could look around more, the vision dissolved in front of her. She found herself back in the training room. Turning to see Kylo, she saw that he looked out of breath, his gaze was across the room.

“Jakku…” He whispered. “The girl…” 

Immediately, he left the room, seeming to be in a rush to go somewhere. Too afraid to call out to him, Dallia sat there, wondering why that vision came to her mind. Kylo must have seen it too, as he was looking through her mind. She wondered what it all meant. After all, who were those children? Why would the parents give one of them away? Perhaps the other one was given away at some point too. 

After having enough of her own thoughts, Dallia began walking back to her quarters. While halfway there, she changed her mind. She knew she needed answers. Reaching out, trying to feel Kylo’s presence, she concluded that he was in Snoke’s throne room. Even though she knew she shouldn’t, she started walking towards the tall elevator. Upon arriving, she stepped into the elevator, which began its ascension to the red room. When she finally reached the top, the door opened in front of her, revealing Snoke and Kylo. Snoke looked up as he heard the door open, an amused smile began to form on his face.

“Come, child.” He hummed. “You’re just in time.”

Nervously, Dallia stepped forward, suddenly feeling regret for following Kylo. The feeling in the room was heavy, making her wonder what they were discussing before her arrival. She knew it must have been about the vision Kylo saw in her head.

  
  



	9. Rosebud

Snoke sat before her, menacing and powerful, his golden robes glittered in the light above them. Dallia was intimidated and nervous as to what he would do to her. Squeezing her fists, she felt the nervous sweat start to wet her skin.

"That memory you shared with Kylo Ren..." He finally spoke. "Do you remember when that memory happened?" 

"No," Dallia replied, her hands shaking. "I don't ever remember being on that ship and I have no idea who those people were. I don't know why it was extracted from my head."

Snoke hummed, thinking. "You grew up on Kessel. Is that right, child?”

“Yes, as long as I can remember.” Her nerves began to take over. She suddenly feared that he knew about the lies Cane had made about her life on Kessel.

“With this new evidence, I think it’s safe to say that the records you submitted with your recruit paperwork were false. Is that correct?” He asked, looking amused.

Dallia looked away. “Yes, they are, Supreme Leader.”

“I presume you never knew your parents. Correct?” He asked again.

Dallia nodded, feeling herself blush heavily. “I don’t know who or where they are.”

Surprising her, Snoke evilly let out a laugh. She assumed he would be angry at the forged paperwork. Instead, he seemed rather pleased. She couldn’t make sense of the information he was pulling out of her, but it must have been important. 

“This new discovery warrants a trip for me.” He told them. “I shall be gone for no more than a week. In the meantime, your training will continue. I hope that with my return, I will see improvement in your force wielding abilities, which will make my job much easier.”

Kylo stepped up beside Dallia. “Of course, Supreme Leader. I wish you safe travels.”

Snoke nodded, releasing them from the room. As both her and Kylo rode the elevator down to the lower level, she noticed the familiar tension she felt last time. Pushing it out of her mind, she thought back to the conversation she had with Snoke moments ago. As embarrassing as it was to be caught lying like that, she was mostly puzzled as to why the information about her past was relevant to the strange memory Kylo pulled out of her head. She couldn’t recall any moment of her life that was on a ship like in the memory. The two parents were strangers to her as well.

“I think we should continue our training.” Kylo told her as they stepped out of the elevator.

Dallia agreed, following him back to the training room where she sat on the same platform as before. Sitting there, looking out to the other side of the room, she felt Kylo’s intense gaze on her. Turning to him, her eyes met his, only having his to quickly dart away.

“Why were you looking at me like that?” She asked him.

“I was just studying you.” He mumbled. “Let’s begin anyway.”

With a huff, he positioned himself so he was standing in front of her. He lifted his hand, revealing a small pebbled in the center of his palm.

“Lift this out of my hand.” He instructed.

Dallia raised an eyebrow. “How?”

She watched Kylo roll his eyes. “Using the force, of course.”

Still confused, she tried her best to clear her mind and focus on the rock, which was her best guess as to the first step of the process. As she did, she felt tiny vibrations from her body start to connect with the pebble, causing her to press into that feeling even more. Feeling her body begin to shake, she watched the pebble levitate not even an inch above Kylo’s hand. The pebble began to shake as well, dropping into the palm of his hand a second later. 

“Impressive.” He huffed, pocketing the pebble. “You’ll need to work on that more though.”

Dallia nodded, taking a mental note to practice in her room later that night. Watching Kylo, deep in thought, she wondered what she’d have to do next. He then instructed her to close her eyes and settle into the force using her mind.

“As you reach out, tell me what aspects of the force you feel.” He instructed. “I need you to connect with the dark.”

Breathing heavily, Dallia pushed into a side of the force she was not familiar with, in a region of her mind she didn’t know she could explore. Surrounding her, she began to feel a sharp cold like she had never felt before. 

“I feel cold…” She told him. “The force… feels like it's luring me in with some sort of pull.”

“Give in to it.” He told her.

Immediately, Dallia relaxed into the cold feeling as she grew closer and closer to the dark. Feeling a grip around her, pulling her in, she soon became consumed in the dark entirely. Anger, jealousy, madness all spun around her, seeming to seep into her soul through the force, leaving her to feel a deep power within herself. 

“I feel strong…” She hummed. “It’s consuming me.” 

“Perfect.” Kylo told her. “Now, disconnect from that feeling and come back to reality. That’s the hardest part.”

Clenching a fist, she quickly opened her eyes, feeling herself back on the platform. Her heart still pounded in her chest from her experience so close to such chaos in her own mind.

“What you saw and felt is the power of the dark side. When harnessing the force, you must find your power from the dark without losing yourself in it.” He explained. “If lost within the dark, it may prove dangerous, resulting in a loss of control. Ancient sith have been known to sometimes use that method, but it is a lot more useful to maintain control, especially for someone so inexperienced with the force.”

“Do you use that method?” She asked him. “Losing yourself in the dark, I mean.”

“No, I don’t.” He responded. “Although I have gotten close to it.”

Dallia watched his face as he talked. “How did you get that terrible scar?” She asked, studying it.

“A duel.” He told her shortly, not wanting to talk about it.

“Was it a lightsaber?” Dallia said, questioning him further.

Kylo huffed. “You really don’t know when to shut your mouth, my apprentice.”

“Why can’t you answer?” She hummed, testing him.

In a split second, he reached his arm out in front of his wide chest, gripping his gloved fingers around Dallia’s throat using the force. As she began to feel the pressure, she began to turn red, embarrassed that she thought she could question him like that. Her hands shot up to her neck, holding it as if it would make the pressure stop. As she looked at Kylo in the eyes, his expression softened, releasing the grip on her throat, leaving her to inhale deeply.

“I…” He exhaled, lowering his arm.

A tear slipped from Dallia’s eye, falling onto her cheek. She felt so stupid, so foolish. Looking at him again, she saw a sad expression on his face as well, which was not like him at all. Not wanting to face him anymore, she slipped off of the platform and ran out into the hallway, heading back to her room for the day. She needed a while to compose herself and calm down. Kylo, for some reason, stirred up strange, foreign emotions in her that she had never felt before. She still couldn’t get the image of them in the field of flowers out of her head. Apparently, they were supposed to be in love in the future, from what it seemed in the vision, but she didn’t understand how that could possibly happen. She could see herself possibly falling in love with Bendarr, yes, but not Kylo. That was absurd.

Finally reaching her quarters, she opened the door and entered the room with a huff. Flinging herself onto the bed only made herself feel worse. The headache she had accumulated over the course of the last few hours now felt even worse with such a jostling movement. It had only been her first day training under Kylo Ren and she already cried in front of him. How embarrassing. As she tried to massage her head, in hopes of ridding herself of the ache, her datapad beeped, signalling a message from Bendarr. Sighing, she grabbed it and opened the message.

_ Are you out of the infirmary yet? I want to see you x _

Assuming that he was out of his class for the day, she messaged him back.

_ I’ll come to your room in an hour. I can’t wait to see you. _

She set the datapad on the nightstand beside her bed, suddenly feeling uneasy. Bendarr would be asking questions about the infirmary. She wanted to tell him the truth but Kylo had specifically told her not to. Beginning to worry, she decided that she would have to make something up, a trait that she wouldn’t have expected to get from Cane.

Before she could think anymore of it, the door to her quarters slammed open, startling her. It was Kylo. He stood there in the doorway, staring at her, his expression was hard to read through his helmet. Dallia began to sit up on her bed as he approached her. As he stood there, towering over her, she felt a strong wave of emotions radiate from him, surprising her slightly. 

“Why are you here?” She mumbled.

Taking a deep breath, he removed his helmet, which he must have put on while walking through the halls. His beautiful, angular face looked conflicted, as if he didn’t know what to say. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you like that.” He confessed, shifting around uncomfortably. “I’m not normally one to apologise… but I didn’t want you to think badly of me if I didn’t.”

Dallia paused. “Why would you care what I think of you?”

He suddenly looked over at her, into her eyes. A foreign, nervous expression fell over his face. Dallia began to feel an invisible force push her off the bed, leading her to stand in front of him. She tried to hide a smile. Damn him and his force abilities. 

“I have grown… fond of you.” He told her. “I don’t know why.”

Dallia froze, not entirely expecting a confession that deep. She watched him bite his lip, looking away as he began to speak again. 

“I want you to be mine.” He said, waiting for a response from her.

“You know I like Ben.” She told him. 

His lip began to curl. “I don’t care about… Ben.” He snapped.

“There’s no need to be so mean.” Dallia spit back. “He’s very nice to me. Unlike you, who has choked me.”

“Dallia… I- I’m sorry.” He finally said, earning a frustrated sigh from Dallia. “I’ll see you tomorrow for training.” 

With saying that, he left Dallia standing in the middle of her room, feeling stupid. She had no idea why though. 

  
  



	10. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Knocking on the door in front of her at the end of the familiar hallway, Dallia sighed. She had missed being so close to Bendarr. Finally, he opened the door and smiled widely, wrapping her in a huge hug. His chiny curls brushed her cheek as he squeezed her body.

"I missed you." He told her, finally letting go. "How are you feeling? Are you still sick?"

Dallia shifted uncomfortably. "I actually needed to talk to you about that." 

"Oh, of course." He said, gesturing for her to enter his room. Dallia stepped inside, making her way to the bed and sitting down on the edge of it. 

She then took a deep breath. "Ben... I wasn't in the infirmary." 

Bendarr looked confused for a moment, asking her why. 

"Well… I was offered a position to train under one of the higher ranking officials here." She told him, trying to keep it brief and as vague as she could. She watched Bendarr's expression turn from confused to happy.

"Dallia, I'm so happy for you." He told her, sitting down on the bed next to her. "Really, that's amazing. Who are you training under? And what for?"

"Well..." She said. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone yet."

Bendarr laughed. “I understand. I won’t try to push it out of you.”

Thanking him, Dallia gave him another hug, which was deeper than the one before. All she wanted was to stay there with him and go back to how things were before she had met Kylo Ren. However, she knew that she now had a new responsibility. A responsibility far greater than being some new recruit with a small chance of actually making it. At least now she had a greater chance of success. That is, if she could put up with training under Kylo, who was quite… moody. Letting go of the hug, she felt him pull her in for a kiss, surprising her. After a few seconds, he backed away, smiling at her.

“I suppose this means you’ll be changing rooms.” He said. 

Dallia frowned. “Yes, I actually already have, Ben. I’m sorry.”

“It’s quite alright.” He told her. “I’m proud of you. And after all, it’s not like we’re that far from each other. We can still hang out whenever we’re free.”

Nodding, Dallia agreed, saying that she was lucky that they were fairly close too. At least she wasn’t being transferred to another ship. She had been starting to like the Finalizer, even it’s muted drone, which helped her fall asleep at night. 

After talking with Bendarr for a few minutes more, they said their goodbyes and Dallia headed back to her quarters. While walking back, she couldn’t help thinking about Kylo and the awkward conversation she had with him earlier that day. She wondered how he could actually have feelings for her. So quickly too. He seemed like one to close himself off to feelings like that. Jedi, from what she had heard, were forbidden to share such feelings of intimacy and attachment. Perhaps dark force users, like Kylo, were different. She knew that beneath his hard, rigid exterior there was light. Maybe not the kind of light a Jedi was to have, but there was light. She was sure of it. 

Reaching the door to her quarters, Dallia paused, turning to stare at Kylo’s door for a few moments. Something within herself pulled her closer to it, urging her to open the door. As she stepped in, she felt the force pull her in even more, leading her down the hallway to the left where she had been last time. Approaching the same corner, she heard Kylo speaking quietly. As she looked at the shadow of him on the wall, he appeared to be speaking to the relic in front of him. 

“Grandfather, I will not fail you.” She heard him mumble. “Soon we will have Rey and Skywalker, I swear of it. I will not rest until I end the Jedi for good.”

Dallia listened to him stop abruptly. She could feel the anger in him rise suddenly, making her feel uneasy. A familiar pressure locked around her throat as she watched the shadow’s fist squeeze into a ball. She gasped for air, sitting against the wall, unable to move. The very scene that was happening mirrored the one in her vision from before. She began to hear his footsteps come around the corner, where the pressure was immediately released from her throat. Above her, she watched Kylo’s face fall as he let go of the grip. Immediately, he kneeled down, resting a hand on her shoulder, only to quickly draw it back out of embarrassment.

“I thought you were someone else!” He exclaimed. “I- I’m so sorry…”

“It was my fault.” She told him, still trying to catch her breath. “I shouldn't have snuck up on you.”

“Dallia, I…” He tried to say. He seemed as if he couldn’t find the words to say. “Why did you come here?”

Dallis shrugged. “I just felt the force guide me here.” 

She watched Kylo nod slightly. The scar across his face was almost beautiful. Suddenly, she felt his arms slide around her, pickling her up. She began to blush violently as he took her to the main room and lay her down on a lounge chair near his bed. After a few moments, she finally felt the courage to speak again.

“For years, I had been told that you were cruel and malevolent and powerful.” She whispered, looking at the floor. “It’s strange to figure out that you have compassion in you. That there is some light.”

“I have no light.” He snapped, startling her.

“There is always a light that never goes out.” She told him.

She watched him try to process her words. He seemed conflicted for some reason. The connection they shared had fortunately blessed her with the ability to feel his emotions, but all she felt was a wall between them at that very moment. It was if he was hiding something from her. His body was still as he stared at the wall next to him, seeming to be thinking very deeply. Not wanting to disturb him, Dallia stood up from the chair and took a step towards the door, only to be stopped by his large hand grabbing her wrist, pulling her close to him. She gasped as he pressed her up against his chest, their faces inches apart. 

“I know you feel it too.” He whispered. A tear looked as if it were beginning to form in his eye. “You seem to forget that we are connected through the force.” 

Dallia felt herself blush even more, but not wanting to push away just yet. “I suppose you’re right but I still like…” She trailed off, not wanting to upset him.

“Don’t go back to him.” He said. “I know that after your training, we will be strong enough to rule the galaxy together. Just imagine that.”

She stood there for a moment, trying to process his words. “Is that what you and Snoke were talking about? Does my power have to do with that memory I possess?” 

Kylo said nothing for a few moments. “I don’t know much about it but I do know that this matter is very important to him. I suggest you don’t worry about it. Things will be revealed with time.”

Dallia looked down at their feet, nodding her head. “I understand.”

“Say here tonight.” He told her, pulling her closer. 

“Where will I sleep?” She asked, genuinely confused.

“In my bed.” He stated.

Dallia’s eyes went wide. “Kylo! I’ve already told you that I like someone else.”

“I don’t need your excuses. I told you to do something and you should do it. After all,  _ you  _ are the apprentice.” He hummed.

Letting out a huff, Dallia stepped back, breaking apart from Kylo. She didn’t want to share a bed with him but what choice did she have? Perhaps she should give him a chance. After all, her vision in that flower-filled field showed her that Kylo was capable of love and kindness. Pushing the thought of her sitting on his lap gazing at waterfalls, she agreed to stay the night. Bendarr and her weren’t even officially together.  _ Everything will be fine.  _ She told herself.

Dallia stayed in his quarters for the remaining evening hours watching him talk about ancient sith history, which he claimed was part of her training. His deep voice was so alluring to her that she hadn’t even thought about falling asleep. She listened to every word he said, trying to absorb it all. His synopsis of the thousands and thousands of years of sith history was quite quick considering the timeline he had to cover. Eventually, he began talking about Darth Vader, who he claims was the most powerful sith in history. Unlike all of the others he talked about, he discusses Vader the most. Dallia watched his passion grow with every word he spoke about him. On Kessel, Dallia had only heard short stories of Vader and his reign, making her not very knowledgeable. Kylo, on the other hand, seemed obsessive over him for some reason. He eventually finished speaking after explaining Vader’s demise, which he said was some Jedi’s fault, causing an expression of pain to be painted across his face suddenly. 

“Are you okay?” Dallia asked him, watching his face.

Kylo shook the expression off of his face. “I’m better than okay. I think I’m ready for bed.”

Dallia felt her heart begin to race, thinking about sharing the bed with him. Granted the bed was quite large, but Kylo’s frame was large as well, which she assumed would take up a large portion of the bed. Awkwardly, she stood up from where they were sitting and looked around, not knowing what to do next. She watched Kylo approach her, pulling her into his chest like before. Feeling butterflies in her stomach, she began to feel conflicted. She couldn’t help but think back to Bendarr.

“Don’t feel that way.” He told her. “Your little friend doesn’t know you like I do.”

“I know…” She whispered. 

He then reached his large, rough hand up to her chin, grabbing it and tilting it up so she was looking into his eyes. He pressed his nails into the side of her chin, causing her to hiss and try to pull back. Dallia watched as an almost sadistic smirk came across his face, making her heart flutter. She felt his hand inch down to her throat, where he wrapped his fingers slowly, holding her in place. 

“I want you to be mine.” He growled, pulling her close to his face so they were inches apart. “I want you to rule with me by my side.”

Dallia stared back into his eyes, not knowing how to respond. She wanted that but she was still hesitant. Kylo seemed to notice her hesitation. 

“Why don’t you get in bed.” He told her, gesturing to the bed. 

She smiled lightly, taking off her outer robes along with her shoes and sliding underneath the warm covers. Immediately, she was no longer nervous. The thoughts of leaving Kylo’s room left her mind as she snuggled further under the blankets, feeling very comfortable. Peeking over at Kylo, she caught his gaze, making him smirk. He turned and turned the light off, leaving the room dim as he approached the bed. She watched as he removed his outer robes and shoes as well. He then walked around the bed, getting under the covers. Dallia smiled to herself, remembering her prediction that he would take up most of the bed. She was correct. As they both got comfortable, Kylo’s hand brushed hers under the blankets, causing her nerves to come back as her heart began to beat faster. Seeming to sense the butterflies in her stomach, Kylo shifted, propping himself up on his elbow, looking down at her for a few seconds before inching closer. Dallia felt his hand rest on the side of her face, causing her to break out in a nervous sweat. Kylo then leaned down, pressing their lips together with a force she was not familiar. Despite the force, his lips felt soft. His other arm helped him crawl on top of her, his body melting into hers. As Dallia began to wrap her arms around him, she realized what she wanted. Him.

  
  



	11. Why Am I?

_ A deep orange color painted the sky above her as Dallia found herself on a hill, overlooking a pile of ash and rubble. Light filled her chest as she watched the sun rise over the horizon, signifying a new day. The trees surrounding the area swayed in the light breeze that brought a slight chill to her bones. She looked to her right, seeing Kylo dressed in plain, almost youthful clothes. The scar on his face was faded, leaving a light pink line down his face. He looked sad, heartbroken even, looking at the pile of rubble with her. Looking at it, she could feel its importance, but she didn't know why it was so significant. As the breeze around them began to pick up, she felt Kylo's hand latch onto hers, guiding her towards the ashes. Within the ashes were parts of stone walls, crumbled and broken, hinting at what the place once was. Before they could look any further, they heard a noise behind them. They both turned around quickly to see an old man standing before them. Dallia watched as tears filled Kylo's eyes. _

She immediately jerked awake, finding herself in Kylo's bed. Her chest moved up and down, quickly as she tried to make sense of why she was there. She turned over to see Kylo gazing at her, confused. 

“Did you have a vision?” He asked her, wanting to know what just happened.

Dallia nodded her head, still confused. “You were in it.”

“Oh…” He said. “Was it a vision of the future?”

She nodded again. “That’s what I think all my visions are… except for the strange vision of each other we shared a few days ago. That had to do with our bond, I’m assuming.” 

“A force dyad.” He hummed.

“What is that?” She asked. “I know Snoke mentioned it once before.”

“Well, it’s a type of force bond two people can share. It comes in different forms, making each one unique. It’s hard to say why they form.” He explained. “Perhaps it has something to do with the future. We don’t exactly share a past.”

Dallia hummed, thinking. “I’ve seen visions of us together in the future.” She looked over to see an amused expression on his face. “I- I mean not romantically. Just… together.”

“What happened in these visions?” He asked her, still looking amused.

“One was of us in a field on some planet I’ve never seen before.” She explained. “We both were so… happy. Another vision I had took place in Snoke’s throne room. I remember seeing a girl who stood in front of us. She had brown hair and a beautiful face-”

Kylo immediately shot up in bed. “A girl…” He hissed. “Who was she?”

“I- I’m not sure.” Dallia stuttered, feeling confused. “I’ve only seen her in that one vision.”

“Did she have a lightsaber?” He asked, getting aggressive in his questioning. “Was she a force user?”

Dallia thought for a moment. “I’m assuming so. I think I remember seeing a hilt in her hand.”

Kylo let out an irritated breath, his eyes wandered around the room, almost panicking.

“Do you know who she is?” Dallia asked him.

She watched as he took a deep breath. “I believe she is a girl the First Order has been hunting. She aided in our defeat on Starkiller Base.” He then paused, as if he were remembering the incident. “She also found her way to Skywalker before we did, wanting to revive the Jedi Order.”

Not understanding a word he just said, Dallia looked back at him, confused.

“She is the biggest threat to our future reign.” He snapped. “If the Order is revived, our power will be lessened. Snoke had told me that she is one of the most powerful beings to possess the force. Under his orders, I’ve been hunting her down for months, with no success.” 

“Do you plan on killing her?” She asked, fearing for the girl for some reason she could not explain.

Kylo let out a small laugh. “No…” He hummed. “She will be forced to turn to the dark side. With us, our power will grow even stronger. We will then finally end the Jedi and rid the galaxy of Skywalker.” 

“Skywalker?” Dallia said, still not understanding.

“A wretched traitor. A backstabbing Jedi. A threat to us and the future of the First Order. He must be finished.” He rebuked.

Not knowing how to respond, Dallia looked away. Everything he was saying was so confusing. The girl in her vision didn’t at all seem like a threat. She looked strong and full of light. As Dallia gazed up at the ceiling, she suddenly felt anxious about her training. She had no idea about all the affairs the First Order was involved in, which made her feel stupid. She only hoped that over the course of her training, she’d be able to learn about all of the things Kylo was talking about. Sighing, she turned over towards Kylo. He was laying down, staring up at the ceiling like how she was moments before. He looked deep in thought and his face had a hint of anger and frustration on it. Moving closer to him, she reached her hand out and placed it on his wide chest, startling him. Turning his head, their eyes met. He looked sad as they gazed at each other. Dallia nuzzled into his side, her hand still on his chest. She felt his arm reach around her, pulling her closer to him. Immediately, she felt herself drift off to sleep again, listening to the heartbeat in his chest.

The next morning Dallia awoke to the sound of rustling across the room. Opening her eyes, she saw Kylo’s figure bent over, tying the laces to his heavy boots. He glanced over, noticing that she was awake. 

“Get dressed.” He told her. “We have a lot to work on today.”

Dallia pulled back the covers and slid out of bed, suddenly feeling a chill. With a small huff, she grabbed her outer robes, putting them on along with her own boots. As Kylo grabbed his lightsaber from the nightstand, she tried her best to tame her hair by tying it up. She had no idea what her training would be like that day but she at least wanted her hair out of the way. She watched as Kylo hooked his lightsaber onto his belt and walked over to one of his cabinets, pulling out a few ration packs.

“Here,” He said, handing her one. “You’ll need energy for today’s training.”

She thanked him, beginning to open the pack. After eating a few bites, she felt full enough. Slipping the rest into her pocket for later, she turned back to Kylo who was still busy tidying up the place. Noticing her, he nodded his head, grabbed his helmet and they headed out the door. Dallia watched as Kylo put on his helmet as they walked down the hallway.

“Why do you wear that?” She asked, glancing up at him.

He sighed, his voice almost electronic. “The Knights of Ren all have to.”

“Knights of Ren?” She asked.

“Yes, a band consisting of me and a few others who work under Snoke. I suppose you could call us a branch of the sith.” He explained. “I don’t work with them as closely anymore though. Snoke wanted me to focus on being his apprentice.”

Dallia nodded, processing the information. “Am I training to be a Knight?” 

“No, not necessarily.” He told her. “Snoke hasn’t been very specific about what position you will hold after your training. I suppose he wants to see how fast you progress while he’s away. His absence is a test for both you and me, as master.”

“What kind of training am I working on today?” She asked him.

He let out a small laugh. “You’ll see.”

They finally arrived at the same training room they had used before. Instinctively, Dallia entered the room and sat on the platform. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the lesson. 

The lesson in itself went by quickly. They went over simple techniques for using the force as well as methods for meditation, which she discovered aided in her connection to the force tremendously. By the end of the lesson, she felt more confident in her abilities and much more focused. She could practically feel the force flowing through her veins.

After gathering herself, she followed Kylo out of the room, taking a turn down a hallway she had never been in before. Before she could wonder where they were going, he stopped in front of a door, waving it open with his hand to reveal a combat training room. Different size staffs and weapons were hung on the walls. As she looked around, she saw different size figures placed throughout the room with targets on them, which she assumed were for combat training. She looked up at Kylo, not knowing what to do next. He gestured for her to enter the room.

“Now,” He said. “As a force user, you will one day be given a kyber crystal to help form your own lightsaber. For now, you need to learn how to wield a staff of the same size and weight.”

He then took off his helmet and set it near the door before turning to her. She bit her lip nervously as she gazed at the different staffs. After a moment, she then grabbed a short one off of the wall, which she thought would fit her the most. Kylo nodded in satisfaction as she held it in front of her.

“Notice the grooves.” He told her. “That’s the hilt, where your hand should grip firmly. I would suggest, since you are just starting out, to hold the saber near the middle of the hilt.”

Dallia followed his instructions, gripping the hilt until her knuckles nearly turned white. Kylo motioned for her to follow him as he walked towards the center of the room. As Dallia moved into the dead center, she looked around, seeing the targets positioned all around her. Holding the makeshift saber in her hand, she began to feel a wave of aggression towards the targets, as if she were preparing herself to attack.

“I want you to close your eyes.” He instructed. “Feel your enemies.”

Dallia closed her eyes, reaching out through the force, feeling the figures all around her. She felt the hair on her arms rise in anticipation.

“Now, as they approach you one by one, I want you to hit them, while keeping your eyes closed.” He told her. 

All of a sudden, Dallia felt one of them move closer to her. Turning to face it, she reached out and whacked it in the side, feeling a wave of anger rise inside of her. Her face formed a smirk as she felt two others move toward her. Aggressively, she hit them too, causing them to retreat. After a few more attacks, she felt the figures freeze. She opened her eyes, trying to catch her breath. Across the room, Kylo looked amused. 

They spent about an hour more in the combat room, going over important combat stances as well as basic ways to strike. Near the end, Dallia was exhausted and soaked with sweat. The only thing she wanted to do was get back to her room and take a shower. She turned to Kylo, expecting his next instructions.

“I have some business to attend to.” He told her. “You are free to go back to your room. Your training today is finished.”

“What kind of business?” Dallis asked him, curious about where he needed to be.

“I have to oversee the updates regarding the Resistance’s location. We may be sending the Fulminatrix soon to attempt to wipe them out.” He said briefly.

Dallia tilted her head, trying her best to understand. “Well… I hope everything goes as planned.”

“I have confidence that the Resistance will be crushed soon. Then, we will rule together with no one in our way.” He told her, confidently. 

“I still have a lot more training until then.” She replied with a small laugh.

“Yes, my apprentice, you do.” He hummed, looking at her.

Her and Kylo eventually parted ways, leaving her to walk back to her own quarters. When getting back, she immediately undressed, tossing her robes into a pile, which she told herself she’d get cleaned later. The water in the shower was hot, making the whole bathroom steamy, yet relaxing. As she stepped into the shower, she felt the day’s stress and hard work wash away down the drain on the floor. Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back, letting her hair get wet from the stream of water. As she ran her hands through her hair, she suddenly felt a strange, cold breeze in the shower. Immediately, her eyes shot open and before her she saw Kylo, just like the time before. Frantically, she tried to cover her body again, only to watch Kylo turn and see her. Even with the mask covering his face, Dallia could still tell that Kylo was shocked. He was standing in like what seemed to be an office, in front of his was a large desk made of metal. 

“Interesting timing, my apprentice…” He hummed. “I suppose you were thinking about me.”

Dallia’s eyes went wide, still trying her best to hide her body. “I- I was just trying to take a shower.”

“Yet the force wanted to connect us at this very moment.” He said, amused. “Lucky for you, my meeting with General Hux is running a little characteristically late.”

“Lucky for me?” She squeaked.

She could feel him smirk through his helmet, causing her to blush. She watched as he moved closer, looking her up and down. Her whole body felt as though it were on fire. As he reached out his hand to touch the side of her face, his head immediately shot towards the door. 

“I suppose we’ll have to finish this later, my apprentice.” He told her.

As he said those last words, the image of him dissolved from Dallia’s view, leaving her with a terrible headache as Kylo broke the connection. She then found herself back in the shower, under the hot stream of water.

As she finished showering, she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of getting to train under Kylo. Despite not wanting to, she could feel herself falling for him. She knew that he was falling for her as well but she had no idea what getting into a relationship with him would look like. He was very temperamental and hot headed sometimes, making him difficult to understand. At the same time, Dallia saw a light in him that was different. It pulled her closer to him, as if it were a magnet. She began to wonder why he was even following a path to the dark side if he had so much light deep in his heart. She then paused.  _ Why am I?  _ She asked herself.


	12. The Deepest Color

The next morning, Dallia stared at the ceiling above her bed. It was still too early to get up yet. She still had no idea what to do about Bendarr, which made her feel guilty. Despite her growing feelings for Kylo, she still liked him. He was so pure and genuine, which were the two things she loved about him the most. Sighing, she came to the conclusion that she'd have to explain what she was feeling to him, even if she knew it would break his heart. 

The most annoying part about being around Kylo so much was the connection they shared. Even when they were apart, she could feel him as if he were the other half of her. He felt like a magnet that pulled her in, despite any distance. She never in a million years thought that she would be feeling this way towards Kylo Ren. It was still strange to her. Rolling over onto her side, she hugged her pillow, wishing it were him. Deep down, she wished she stayed with him the night before, but she knew he had other business to take care of. Feeling a sudden wave of sadness, she got out of bed and slipped on her night shoes. She then opened her door using the force, which took a little effort and concentration. As she crossed the hallway, she paused as Kylo's door opened right in front of her, revealing Kylo, who seemed to be leaving for something. She stared at his black helmet, which hid his face.

"Dallia..." He hummed. "Why are you awake this early? Our lesson doesn't start for another three hours."

Dallia blushed. "I wanted to see you."

She heard him let out a small laugh as he stepped forward, towards her. His tall body, looming over her, made Dallia's heart start to beat faster. Her eyes quickly darted down the hallway to make sure no one was there. She watched as he reached his hand up to her face, brushing her cheek.

"Take the helmet off." She told him.

He sighed, reaching his hands up to the sides of the helmet, releasing it from his head with a mechanical sound. 

"Better?" He asked, rolling his eyes.

Dallia smiled, closing the gap between them again. She wanted to kiss him. She needed to kiss him. He immediately grabbed her by the waist, pressing their lips together. Her hands shot up to his face, pulling him in deeper, not ever wanting to let go. Deep within herself, she felt their connection grow stronger as it flowed through her entire body. She knew he felt the same as she felt his hands grip her waist aggressively. She then heard footsteps down the hall, making her heart skip a beat. Immediately, she broke away from Kylo and turned to see a figure standing down the hallway, datapad in hand. Ben.

He looked shocked, out of breath. Standing there, with his mouth open, he looked like he couldn't form a word. 

"Ben-" Dallia choked out.

Before she could say another word, she watched him sprint away, leaving her and Kylo alone in the hallway once more. She turned to Kylo, seeing anger on his face. She stepped back, feeling afraid.

“Look what you’ve done.” He spat. “Your worthless little friend is now going to tell the whole ship about us. How do you think that’s going to affect me?”

“Look what _I_ have done?” She snapped back. “You can’t put all the blame on me!”

She watched as his face twisted. Turning away from her, he lifted his helmet, smashing it into the floor in anger. Dallia watched in horror as parts of the helmet cracked. Without a second thought, he shot his arm out towards the helmet and closed a sharp fist, causing the helmet to cave, the metal bending and snapping unexpectedly. He stood there, breathing heavily staring at the now useless object. 

“Leave.” He snapped over his shoulder. 

Feeling tears begin to form in her eyes, Dallia rushed back into her room, slamming the door behind her. She could barely make sense of anything that happened. Sobs began to come from her throat as she flung herself onto her bed. She felt terrible and lost, not knowing what to do about Kylo or Bendarr. She was eventually going to have to break Bendarr’s heart, but she never wanted it to be like that. Guilt began to rush through her body, and into her heart, which ached. After a long episode of hopeless tears, Dallia fell asleep on top of her bed. 

Closer to midday, Dallia woke up in her tear stained robes to her own terrible reality. Kylo hadn’t even come by to wake her for their lesson. Heading over to the bathroom, to wash her face, she noticed her dreadful appearance in the mirror. Not even the strongest soap on the Finalizer could get rid of the dark circles under her eyes and the overall sunken look. She scrubbed her face, trying to get rid of at least the dried tears that were left from earlier that morning. It was safe to say that she had never felt that bad before in her entire life. It was truly eye opening regarding the emotions she was able to experience ever since she began her journey into the First Order. 

After some thought, she decided to head down to the cafeteria to eat some food. She hadn’t eaten in a while, which made her think that some food would cheer her up. Leaving the bathroom, she got dressed into some clean robes and headed down to the cafeteria. As she got in line for the usual slime, she wondered where Bendarr was. She knew he would be eating around this time, which made her nervous. Despite not wanting to, she knew she would have to talk to him sometime about what happened, to make sure that he wouldn’t tell anyone. She could _not_ have any rumors spread about her, especially with her new apprenticeship. That is, if Kylo ever calmed down. 

As she left the line, her food in hand, she wandered around the cafeteria, searching for her only friend. Finally looking in the corner, she found him sitting by himself, staring at his food meaninglessly. She suddenly felt nervous, not knowing what to say. She began walking towards his table, feeling awkward. As she got closer, he lifted his head up, seeing who was there. He rolled his eyes and looked away. Dallia sat down, beginning to feel uncomfortable.

“Ben, I need to explain everything that happened.” She said softly.

“You really think that I want to talk to you?” He scoffed. “After I saw you kissing some guy?”

“I know, Ben, and I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to seem like I was leading you on. I was truly going to tell you, I just didn’t have the time.” She told him, feeling her eyes begin to form tears.

“I was on my way to your room when I saw you with him. I wanted to surprise you with a visit so I followed your datapad’s location… I- I didn’t know you had fallen for someone else.” 

Dallia looked down at her lap, feeling embarrassed. “I didn’t mean for you to find out like this.”

Bendarr sighed, looking defeated. “Who was the guy?” He asked.

“That doesn’t matter, Ben. I’m here to apologize, not hurt you more.” She told him.

“Dallia, listen…” He sighed. “I don’t blame you for starting to like someone else. I mean, I didn’t think we had a very solid future either with you beginning your new position and me being some stupid recruit. I’m just hurting for now… but I’ll get over it.”

“I never wanted to hurt you.” Dallia told him, looking up into his eyes. “Everything is so complicated right now.”

He nodded. “I understand. I just… don’t want to lose your friendship.”

“Of course not.” Dallia assured him. “I don’t want to lose it either. You mean so much to me.”

She watched him form a small smile, making her feel better. He reached forward and grabbed her hand, squeezing it as if he were forgiving her. She returned the smile, happy that things were okay. She was also relieved to know that Bendarr didn’t get a good look at Kylo, meaning that he and his reputation would be fine.

After some more talk, which eased away the sadness out of them both, and finishing the slime-like food, they both said their goodbyes. Bendarr explained that he needed to go back to his room to finish some of his notes. Leaving him to it, Dallia made her way back to her quarters, feeling quite good. She was relieved to have her friend back. Despite the happiness she was feeling about Bendarr, she couldn’t help but feel an uneasy feeling when her mind drifted back to Kylo. She knew she needed to find him. Pausing her walk back to her quarters, she relaxed her mind, trying to figure out where Kylo was without pulling herself into an entire vision of him. Feeling a slight pull across the ship, she headed in that direction confidently. 

Walking through the hallways, she felt the force guide her through each turn. She passed lines of stormtroopers around nearly every corner, making her feel out of place, as if she didn’t belong there. Pushing back the feeling, she pressed on, following the force as it led her through the hallways and corridors of the Finalizer. As she found herself in front of a hangar bay door, she knew that Kylo was in there. Pushing the door open with the force, she saw the huge hangar before her. Although smaller than the hangar her and the other recruits landed in, it was still enormous compared to any other room she’d been in on the ship. Scanning the room, she saw Kylo, turned away from her, scanning a datapad. He looked less intimidating without his helmet on. His messy hair framed his face as he leaned over the datapad. She was almost happy that he had destroyed it; she loved seeing his face. 

As she approached him, she saw him tense up as he felt her presence. 

“Why are you here?” He snapped.

“I had some good news that I thought you would want to know.” She told him, rolling her eyes.

He looked up from his datapad and scowled, waiting for her to explain.

“Well…” She said. “I spoke with Bendarr and we’ve come to an understanding.” She heard Kylo huff as she said his name. “And… it was also very clear that he didn’t get a good enough look at you to know it was you in the hallway. You’re safe from any rumors or speculation.” 

She watched as he began to look less angry. His eyes wandered around the hangar as he stood there, not knowing what to say.

“Will we still have a lesson today?” Dallia asked him, changing the subject.

Kylo paused for a moment before speaking. “Yes, come with me.”

She followed him as he exited the hangar, leaving his responsibilities behind. As he led her down the long hallways, she watched a number of people react to him not wearing his helmet. They seemed shocked and confused to be seeing his face in such a formal setting. Trying her best to not draw attention to herself at his side, Dallia kept her gaze down as they walked down the long hallways. Once Kylo had sufficiently tired Dallia out, he paused at a large door. Dallia watched his stern face as he pushed the door open with a wave of his hand, revealing a nearly empty room. The only objects in the room were the control panels, converting one of the walls. In front of them was a vast, empty space that sat before the back wall, which was bare and excessively wide. Closing the door behind them, Kylo stepped in the room with her, staring at the nothingness.

“Why did you take me here?” She asked, confused as to why they were in such a useless room.

She watched as he walked past her, approaching the wide, barren wall. He stood there, a few feet from it, staring at the gray panels before speaking. 

“Flip the large switch next to the door, my apprentice."

Scared as to what would happen next, she felt her shaky hand reach up and flip the lever on the wall. All around her, she heard a loud, mechanical noise that filled up the room. Turning around, she gasped, eyes wide. The panels on the large wall were retracting back to the sides, revealing the vast image of space. As she watched the walls disappear, she slowly made her way to Kylo, who was admiring the new view. Each star before them seemed to sparkle, a sight that nearly made Dallia’s heart ache. The deep color of space seemed to draw her eyes in, telling her to admire each and every star. Beside her, she felt Kylo’s gloved hand make its way into her own hand. 

“This will be ours.” He whispered. “Just you wait.”

  
  



	13. Out of Hiding

A few days had passed since Dallia was with Kylo in the empty control room. Since then, she had continued her training, learning much from Kylo.. She had enjoyed the time training very much, making her lessons much easier than she had originally expected. Her and Kylo continued to grow more and more connected as they got to know each other more. During the past few days, Dallia had learned to control when she had visions of him, now only having them happen when she wanted them to, not at random times, making her showers much more private and enjoyable. Her lunches were also much more enjoyable, as she had been spending them with Bendarr. It surprised her how easily they could overcome such an unfortunate situation and create such a meaningful friendship. She was more than grateful to have him in her life. 

It was now the day of Snoke’s arrival back to the Finalizer, which made Dallia quite nervous. She only hoped that she would prove herself worthy during their meeting. Looking over at a small watch on the wall of the combat room, she saw that their meeting was in fifteen minutes. She began to feel a cold sweat. Kylo noticed, turning to her.

“You’ve proven yourself over and over to me, my apprentice.” He assured her. “It will be no different for Supreme Leader Snoke.”

She took a deep, shaky, breath. “Thank you, master. I hope all goes well.”

He nodded, taking the wooden staff from her and putting it back on the wall. “We should be on our way. Snoke appreciates early arrivals to his meetings.”

Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, she followed him out of the combat room and into the hallway. As they walked, she wondered if Kylo would get in trouble when Snoke saw that his helmet was no longer being used. After all, he did tell her that all of the Knights of Ren wore them. She only hoped to not see him be chastised, which would make for a very uncomfortable situation. Rounding a few corners, they arrived at the large elevator. Beside her, Kylo took a deep breath as they stepped in and ascended to Snoke’s throne room. Her heart began to pound as the tall door then opened, revealing Snoke on his throne once again. 

“Excellent…” He hummed, watching them come forward. “Ren, how has your apprentice been progressing in her training?”

“Very well, Supreme Leader. She had shown great promise in both her force abilities and combat.” He replied.

Dallia watched as the old man grinned and began to speak again. “While away on my trip, I discovered some very… interesting news regarding your young apprentice here, which makes it unnecessary for me to question you about her training any further. With learning such information, it also led me to bring back something I believe will aid in her training.” 

He beckoned her to him with a wave of his frail arm. Dallia nervously approached the throne, stepping up onto the platform. She watched as the old man reached out his hand, revealing a small crystal in his palm, which radiated energy from the force. Feeling its energy, it felt as though it were made entirely from the force itself. It radiated power and potential, urging Dallia to take it. 

“This is now yours.” He told her, handing off the crystal. “Ren will aid you in the construction of your saber. This crystal will be the final piece.”

“Thank you, Supreme Leader.” She told him, placing the crystal gently in the pocket of her black robes.

Slowly moving back to her spot next to Kylo, she watched Snoke turn to him. Dallia reached out, feeling a wave of nervousness flow through Kylo as he felt the old man’s eyes on him. 

“Ren…” Snoke hummed. “It appears that you no longer have your helmet.”

Kylo took a nervous breath. “Yes, Supreme Leader. There was an accident, resulting in its destruction.” 

“You lie!” Snoke snapped at him, causing Dallia to flinch, stepping back. “Tell me the real reason, child, or I will be forced to get it from you myself.”

Dallia watched Kylo begin to look around, not knowing what to say. As he began to look back to Snoke, she saw the old man raise his arm angrily, rays of lightning shooting from his fingertips to Kylo, who was pushed to the floor. Dallia stared, shocked, not knowing what to do. Eyes wide, she saw Snoke then turn his attention to her, leaving Kylo on the floor, groaning in pain.

“My child, I’m assuming you were with your master when this incident happened, correct?” He asked, face scowling. Dallia nodded as best she could, terrified. “Tell me what happened.” He demanded.

“We were standing together in the hallway near our quarters.” She said, choking on her words. “My friend, who is one of the recruits on this ship, saw us and ran away, feeling… jealous.” 

Snoke’s expression turned into amusement. “Jealous? Do tell what you two were doing in the hallway, my child.”

“Supreme Leader, we were simply standing there-” She started to say before her whole body was sent backwards, lightning pulsing through her body. Screaming in pain, she felt hot waves of electricity shoot enter her torso. The floor was cold under the heat of her skin.

“Damned liar!” He shouted at her.

From beside Dallia, Kylo then scrambled up from the floor, his body barely able to move. With all the energy left in his body he ran to Dallia, using his own body to shield hers from the lightning. Clinging onto her, his body shook with pain as he cried out. The lightning then stopped as Snoke then realized what had happened.

“I now see the truth.” He spat. “You care for her, Ren. A weakness you have always had: love.”

Dallia’s eyes grew wide as she tried to catch her breath, still feeling hot pain pulse through her veins. She watched as Kylo stood up in front of the old man, chest heaving with each breath he took. His posture was tall and erect, despite the terrible pain he was in. He stood there, staring back at Snoke, not saying a word. Snoke’s lip curled as he began to speak again.

“Your feelings will always be your weakness, Ren.” He growled. “With this discovery, I have cause to kill you. I cannot have both of you working under me with such a relationship taking place.” He paused. “Normally I would choose to get rid of the apprentice in this situation… but I have recently learned of her potential… she is an asset I cannot lose.” 

Dallia froze as she watched the scene play out in front of her. She knew there was no way she could stop Snoke; he was too powerful. In horror, she watched him stand up and call Kylo’s saber to him using the force. He turned it around in his hand, appearing to be amused at its appearance. She watched as he then placed the saber onto the arm of the throne, turning back to Kylo.

“Come forward.” He snapped. “It is time for this to end.”

Eyes fixated on Kylo’s saber, Dallia took a deep breath. As Kylo slowly walked closer to the old man, Dallia reached out to the force, trying her best to focus herself on the saber. Her whole body began to shake as she gathered up as much power as she could, turning the saber slowly so the hilt was facing away from Snoke’s torso. Squeezing her eyes shut, tensing her entire body, the saber then ignited, impaling the old man, his body falling to the floor just as he began to raise an arm to kill his former apprentice. 

Kylo whipped around to her, eyes wide. As Snoke’s body hit the floor with a loud thud, the red armored guards came running forward, weapons ready to avenge their Supreme Leader. 

“Dallia, get out!” Kylo shouted to her as he called his saber forward, stepping into a defense stance, ready for the guards’ attacks. 

Without thinking, Dallia ran to the elevator before the guards could reach her. As the doors closed, she felt her body begin to shake with worry for Kylo. It was him against six of them. She had no idea who to go to for help. As the elevator reached the lower level, Dallia sprinted down the hallway, beginning to panic. Turning the corner, she spotted a stormtrooper walking away from her. Before she could form a thought, she quickly ran up to him and swung her leg out in front of him, causing him to fall to the floor, confused. Grabbing his blaster, she rushed back to the elevator, leaving him on the floor, shouting after her angrily. Feeling a rush of confidence, the elevator door then opened to the red throne room. Five red bodies littered the floor. The scene gave her a strange feeling, making her think back to the vision she had of the brown-haired girl in the same room, surrounded by six dead guards. Pushing it out of her mind, Dallia quickly looked over to see Kylo aggressively attacking the last remaining guard. Lifting her blaster, she tried her best to aim at the guard. Pressing the trigger, the guard immediately fell to the floor with a thud, his bladed staff falling beside him. Kylo turned to her, appearing to be very winded. His hair stuck to his face with sweat; his wide chest heaving. Dropping his saber, a small smile formed on his face.

“Dallia…” He sighed with relief. 

“Kylo…” She responded, throwing the blaster aside. 

She ran to him, jumping into his arms, which picked her up by the waist, spinning her around. Setting her down again, he looked into her eyes, smiling. She had never thought she would ever see such a genuine smile from him. It was pure and refreshing. He beamed as bright as a sun. Grabbing his sweaty face, she pulled him into a kiss, making her heart flutter. She pressed her body against his as she felt their connection strengthen. Letting go, she watched as he began to look around the room, still shocked as to what happened.

“It’s ours now.” He whispered. “The throne.”

Hearing those words, Dallia felt her heart drop. She knew she wanted to rule with him, but I didn’t seem right to her. She didn’t want him or herself to end up like Snoke. Deep inside herself, she felt as if it wasn’t what the force wanted from her. She felt it pulling her in a different direction, far away from the First Order. Before she could respond to Kylo, the elevator door opened behind them, revealing a horrified General Hux.

  
  



	14. The Three Eras

Dallia watched Hux fume a deep red color as Kylo began making his announcement to the Finalizer bridge, enlightening them on his new role as Supreme Leader while leaving out the complicated details. Too intimidated to show a reaction, most of the officers on the bridge politely nodded, returning to their work moments later. Standing beside the new Supreme Leader, General Hux balled his fists, angrily.

"I can't believe you murdered Snoke." He hissed, trying to not cause a scene. "We are so close to decimating the Resistance. The last thing we needed was a change in the position of Supreme Leader."

"I don't need you chastising me, general." Kylo snapped back. "We will end the Resistance soon enough."

Dallia watched the general sigh frustratedly, leaving the scene. Immediately an officer approached Kylo, datapad in hand. 

“Supreme Leader, we have tracked down the Resistance forces and they appear to be on the planet D’Qar.” He explained. “What should our next course of action be, sir?”

Kylo’s eyebrows began to furrow. “Inform Canady of this discovery. The Fulminatrix should be there to focus their firepower on the Resistance. I want them gone. Now, go.” He snapped, causing the officer to nervously scurry away to contact Canady.

Dallia turned to him. “Will we be having training today?” She asked, wondering if her training would still continue after such a change.

“Your training will continue, just not today.” He told her. “I have to sort out this attack on the Resistance. You are free for today, my apprentice.”

Giving him a smile, she left the bridge, heading back to her quarters. Even though it was nearly noon, she felt like taking a nap. Being beside Kylo as he assumed the position as Supreme Leader was surprisingly tiring. She was proud of him, but also terrified as to how things would turn out. She hoped that Kylo wouldn’t let the power go to his head, corrupting him to a point of no return. As she finally reached her door, she paused, turning around to gaze at Kylo’s door. Peering down the hallway, she checked to see if anyone was there. Carefully, she crossed the hallway, entering Kylo’s quarters. Stepping into the first room, the air was quiet and almost chilling. Down the familiar hallway, she felt a pull, leading her to slowly make her way to the corner, where she had been many times before. Feeling a rush of adrenaline, she rounded the corner, finally seeing what the relic was. A burnt, crumbling helmet. She wondered why Kylo had called it ‘grandfather’. 

As she approached the helmet, feeling very confused, her head began to hurt. Feeling the object reach out to her, she placed her hand on it’s ashy surface. As her hand touched the object, she began to see a vision play out in front of her. Looking around, she found herself in front of a large building on a busy looking planet. She then turned to see two people at the top of a large set of steps that led away from the building. One of them was a man in brown robes; a lightsaber was visibly attached to his belt. In front of him was a young togruta girl, who looked pained, heartbroken even. She watched as the girl turned her back to the man, saying a few last words before she began to make her way from the building and down the steps. The man stood there, watching her disappear from his sight. Dallia stepped closer, seeing a single tear fall down his cheek as he fell to his knees on the hard ground. Her heart ached for him, not even knowing why. 

With an intense pain in her head, Dallia watched as another vision began to play out in front of her of a woman clutching at her throat, gasping for air. She appeared to be pregnant, making Dallia feel scared for the woman even more. The woman then fell to the ground, unconscious, her cheeks wet with tears. Dallia turned around to see a young man dropping his arm to his side. It was the same man from the previous vision, yet he was slightly older. His face was painted with bitter anger and frustration. Looking around more, Dallia saw that they were standing on a landing platform overlooking a scene of red hot lava, which flowed in a wide river beneath them. Despite the hot atmosphere, Dallia felt a chill through her body. She watched the young man begin to pace around frustratedly. His shoulder length hair reminded her of Kylo’s, except for its color, which was brown. 

The image then faded, showing another scene of a man dressed in black robes, similar to Kylo, laying on some medical table; his face out of view. Dallia stood there, listening to him scream in pain as a few medical droids worked on his face, making her stomach turn. The droids then began to move away, allowing the platform the man was laying on the tilt up, standing him up straight. As the man’s face became visible, Dallia gasped. She recognized the man: Darth Vader. Immediately feeling panic, she thought back to the helmet in Kylo’s quarters. It was Darth Vader’s helmet. Kylo’s grandfather. 

Scrambling back, trying to escape the vision, she found herself back in Kylo’s quarters, in front of the helmet. Trying to catch her breath, she stared at it, trying to make sense of it all. Her heart beat in her chest violently as she scrambled out of the room, into the hallway. Without looking back, she left Kylo’s quarters, crossing the hallway to her own. Upon entering, she froze, still thinking about the information that was just given to her. She didn’t know what to do with it; it was all so strange and confusing. Feeling sick, she took off her outer robes and got in bed, not caring to take a shower beforehand. Before she knew it, she was in a deep sleep.

_ She felt a sharp, stinging pain in her leg, causing her to fall to the ground. Clutching her leg, she looked around, seeing a horrifying scene. Strange blue tanks filled with living beings surrounded the large center of the cave she was in. Whipping her head around the best she could, she then gasped, seeing the brown-haired girl sitting on the ground, Kylo limp in her arms. Dallia cried out for him, receiving no answer. She watched as the girl wiped away a tear from her face and placed her hand on his chest.  _

Dallia shot up in bed, panting. She felt a bead of sweat move down her forehead as her brain tried to crawl its way back into reality. Looking to her side, she saw Kylo sitting on the edge of the bed, who seemed worried. 

“Why are you here?” She asked, trying to compose herself. Her robes had been messed up during her nap, making her look like a disaster. 

He frowned. “I felt that you were upset. I figured I could help.”

“Oh…” She said. “Thank you, but it was only a vision.”

“Of what?” He asked. 

“I’d rather not talk about it.” She said politely as she could.

Kylo moved closer to her. “If it makes you feel any better, our attack on D’Qar is going as planned. Canady is moving in closer and soon the Fulminatrix will be ready to focus its firepower on the Resistance before they can escape.”

“That’s excellent.” She told him. “Hux must be pleased as well.”

Kylo let out a huff, rolling his eyes. “What a pathetic man.”

Dallia laughed in return, starting to feel better. As she smiled at him, she then felt the urge to ask him a question.

“Who were your parents?” She blurted out without thinking. Her response was met with a hard silence. She watched as Kylo’s smile immediately turned into a scowl.

“They are gone. Dead.” He snapped, squeezing his fists angrily. 

Dropping her head, Dallia didn’t know how to respond. Reaching out to touch his robed arm, she felt him flinch. With a huff, he stood up from the bed quickly. He looked back at her with anger before leaving the room, going back to his own quarters. Dallia, now all alone in her bed, began to feel embarrassed that she thought she could ask such a question from such an irritable man. Resting her head back on her pillow, she stared up at the ceiling, not knowing what to do. You didn’t feel like she belonged with the First Order anymore. Not after figuring out who Kylo’s grandfather was at least. She knew Kylo was better than that. Wanting to help nudge him in the right direction, she got up, heading across the hall to his room once again.

“What do you want?” She heard him snap as she entered his quarters. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, slouching, picking at his fingernails.

“I wanted to apologize for asking such a question.” She said. “The past is in the past. I understand there’s no need to talk about it.” 

Kylo huffed in return. Hearing his frustration, Dallia joined him, sitting on the edge of the bed like how he did in her own quarters. She looked up at him before speaking again.

“Let’s get away.” She told him. “Let’s go somewhere and spend a few days on our own. No worries. No problems. Just you and me.” 

With saying that, she felt Kylo perk up slightly. “I suppose I could use a break like that.” He said. “After all, Hux  _ would _ love to facilitate the attack on D’Qar without me under his skin.”

“And when we get back, we can celebrate  _ your  _ decimation of the Resistance.” She said with a small laugh, poking his side. “You are the Supreme Leader, after all.”

Kylo let out a sigh of relief, beginning to calm down. “I know just where we should go.” He told her.

“Where?” She asked.

“You’ll see tomorrow. Go pack some extra robes, beautiful.” He told her with a smirk.

Dallia blushed a deep red at the sound of that word. Suddenly feeling confident, she kissed him on the cheek before heading back to her room to ready herself for the following day. 

  
  



	15. Getting Away

The ramp to the small ship waited before Dallia. Standing in the hangar, she looked around one more time, admiring the incredible space. Behind her was Kylo, who was speaking with one of the hangar officers about something to do with the ship. She then cleared her throat, letting Kylo know to hurry up. He dismissed the officer and turned back to her; a smirk was on his face. As he began to follow her up the ramp a voice angrily called out to him, causing him to roll his eyes and turn back slowly.

"Where do you think you're going, Ren?" The General snapped, approaching the ship, cape flying behind him.

Dahlia watched as Kylo's face began to twist in amusement. "On a trip, General. My apprentice and I have important business away from the Finalizer, which should take no more than three days."

General Hux scoffed. "It was my understanding that the attack on D'Qar was your important business."

"Yes General, so I hope, for your sake, that you orchestrate the attack well." Kylo hummed. "I expect to come back to the Resistance's decimation in three days. You may leave." 

With a huff, the General stormed out of the hangar, leaving Dallia and Kylo to board the ship in peace. As Dallia stepped aboard, she noticed how clean and pristine every surface was on the ship, making it feel quite comfortable. She watched as Kylo immediately made his way to the cockpit to begin their departure. Setting her light bag down on a ledge, she followed him to the small space, which was decorated in buttons, levers, and switches. Smiling, she watched as he fired up the ship, his face full of concentration. She was thankful that he chose not to have another helmet made; she loved seeing his beautiful face far too much.

As the ship began to leave the hangar, she listened to him teach her about the buttons and switches, carefully explaining each one. She paid close attention, fascinated with his knowledge.

“Where did you learn all of this?” She asked.

He then went quiet for a few seconds. “I grew up flying.” He said simply.

Dallia smiled in response, not wanting to upset him. She watched as he then focused back on piloting the ship into hyperspace. Not wanting to bother him anymore, she made her way to the back of the ship, where she found a very comfortable cot.

After a long nap, Dallia woke up to the ship rumbling slightly. Getting up, she met Kylo up in the cockpit, where he had been while she was napping. Watching out the window, Dallia could see them enter the atmosphere of a lush planet. Upon getting closer, they appeared to be heading into land in a shimmering, golden city that was surrounded by vast green plains and forests. Not knowing where to look first, Dallia felt overwhelmed; she has never seen a place of such beauty. As they began to land on a landing platform, Dallia immediately grabbed her bag and ran out of the ship to the ledge of the platform, overlooking the city. She gasped as she saw the beautifully decorated city glint in the sun before her. Admiring the view, she felt Kylo come up beside her, gazing at the city too.

“Where are we?” Dallia asked, a wide smile painting her face.

“Naboo.” He said. “A beautiful planet, which just so happens to be the home of some very rich history.”

“Interesting.” Dallia replied. “Where will we be staying?”

Kylo pointed to the other side of the city. “Down there near the lake. It’s even more beautiful, trust me.”

Eventually, Kylo paid the landing crew the credits for renting the platform and Dallia grabbed their small bags from inside the ship. She then followed Kylo as he led them down from the platform and into the vibrant city. Admiring the architecture and statues that lined the streets, Dallia couldn’t help but feel happy and light. After a few seconds of walking, she found her hand weaseling its way into Kylo’s as they made their way through the streets of Naboo.

Upon arriving at the lake house, which turned out to be far larger than Dallia had ever expected, they set down their small bags. As they walked out to the balcony, Dallia took in a deep breath of the fresh lake air, inhaling the planet’s clean atmosphere. Leaning against the stone railing, overlooking the pristine water, she felt Kylo approach her from behind, embracing her into a soft hug. She closed her eyes, leaning back into him. 

“I want you to be mine.” He whispered. “Officially.”

Dallia smiled, feeling herself blush red. “I want that too.” 

Immediately, Kylo whipped her around, his hand resting on her cheek. She watched his soft, uncharacteristic expression as he stared into her eyes. His scar was now a light pink, fading even more than before.

“Let’s go swimming in the lake.” He told her.

“I don’t have anything to wear in the water!” Dallia gasped, surprised at his proposal.

“Even better.” He hummed.

Eyes wide and heart pounding, Dallia followed him down a small set of stone stairs to an elegant patio that touched the edge of the lake. Beginning to feel insecure, Dallia felt her hands turn clammy. She watched as Kylo turned his back to her, starting to undress. As he peeled off his robes, exposing his pale, scarred back, Dallia couldn’t seem to look away. Hoping he couldn’t feel her embarrassment, she began to undress herself, slipping out of her black robes. After taking off the last of her clothes, she tried her best to cover her body with her arms as Kylo then turned around. With a smirk, he extended a hand, making Dallia nervous. Taking his hand gently, she was then led to the edge of the patio. Before she was able to have second thoughts, Kylo yanked her into the water with him causing a big splash. Swimming to the surface, Dallia tried to catch her breath. Beside her was Kylo, who was painted with a playful, mischievous expression. 

“I hate you!” She laughed, rolling her eyes.

She watched as Kylo smiled lightly, swimming towards her so their chests nearly touched. Wiping his hair out of his eyes, he then leaned in, connecting their lips together. Gaining her confidence back, Dallia inched closer, wrapping her legs around his wide torso. As their lips broke apart, she felt her hand inch inch its way across his chest so her palm rested over his heart. Feeling his heartbeat through his chest, she reached out using the force, receiving a small rush of happiness and light to her own body. As she looked up at Kylo, he seemed frozen, lost for words, making her draw her hand back quickly. 

“What were you doing?” He gasped, looking almost terrified.

“I just wanted to see what was in your heart I-” Dallia began. 

“You thought I had light in me, didn’t you?” He snapped. “My own apprentice, turning against me, trying to turn me from the dark side. Is that right?”

“No, not at all!” Dallia choked out. “I had no such intentions.”

Kylo pushed her away, looking hurt and bitter. “I hope that is so. If not, things will turn very bad quite quickly for you, my apprentice.” 

Dallia felt a tear fall down her cheek as she heard him threaten her. Quickly wiping it away, she swam to the edge of the patio, where she pulled herself up out of the water. As she began to get dressed again, she gazed back at Kylo, who was staring out across the lake, deep in thought, his scarred back turned to her. Not bothering to put her boots back on, Dallia climbed the stairs to the villa again, finding herself in the beautiful entryway. As she explored a little, she eventually found the room she assumed was theirs, making her way to the bed and laying down with a loud, frustrated sigh. Beautiful paintings decorated the room as well as the elegant architecture, making Dallia feel out of place as if she weren’t worthy of being in such a sophisticated room. Turning over on the soft, beautifully decorated bed, she felt herself drift off, thinking about the good and bad, the light and dark. 

_ As if a magnet were before her, the force pushed her towards the cave. Feeling Kylo’s hand in her own, she felt a surge of confidence that urged her to go on. Passing the threshold, a grand space appeared before them. Vast dark holes and canyons scattered the large space, leaving her unable to figure out where to go next. Interrupting the silence they stood in, she heard a familiar sound: force lightning. A shriek of pain following the lightning, making Dallia frightened. There was no way Snoke was still alive. It had to be another dark side being.  _

_ As they walked farther into the cave, the force began to pull her towards a large canyon that appeared to be quite deep. There was no way she could make it down there. _

_ “Just use the force, my love.” Kylo instructed her before leaping down into the empty space, leaving Dallia standing on the edge of the canyon, terrified and confused.  _

_ As if the force pushed her, she felt herself leap forward into the darkness. Feeling the wind against her face as she descended, she tried her best to reach out to the force, calling it to aid her in her landing. As she felt herself reach the ground, the force softened her landing, a feeling she had never experienced before. She felt Kylo rush to her, seeming to warn her of something out there without even saying a word. Terrified, Dallia looked around them to see a circle of red blades surrounding them in the darkness; not even the bodies of the blades’ owners could be seen. As they both stood there, the only sounds that could be heard were the buzz of the red blades and the screams of whoever was being hit with force lightning.  _

As the terrifying image began to fade from her view, Dallia woke up in the luxurious bed. Noticing that it was now dark outside, she frowned, not wanting to have slept that late. She then began to feel that Kylo was laying behind her, his arm wrapped around her waist and his entire body pressed against her back. Beginning to feel guilty for what she tried to do earlier, she started to wonder what the future would look like for them. Even though she had had many visions of their future, it still felt so odd. She knew she shouldn’t follow the path he did: falling to the dark side and becoming an arrogant, moody child, but at the same time, she didn’t want to leave him. There was no way she could just get up and leave the First Order, not after falling for the most powerful man in the galaxy. Slowing her breath, she felt Kylo’s faint heartbeat against her back, making her smile. Deep down, she could feel remorse radiating from him for things that she didn’t even know. Unable to even fathom the terrible things he had done, she wondered how many people he had killed personally. Not through grand acts of war, but personally, with his own blade. Pressing deeper into him, she felt as if the force were trying to tell her something, but she couldn’t quite understand at that moment. 

She knew she needed answers, she just didn’t know where to get them. Laying there, staring out into the darkness, she began to miss Cane and her simple life on Kessel. She didn’t quite wish she was back there, living such a simple life, but she did miss the straightforwardness of no secrets and no burning questions about life itself. She was thankful she had met Kylo, but she did wish he was more open and willing to listen. He wasn’t meant for a life filled with such darkness and tragedy; he was meant for a life of light and prosperity, where he could truly be himself. Feeling him through the force once again, she felt a tear slip down her cheek. He was full of so much pain and suffering because of the dark side. It wasn’t right. She only hoped that she could change it one day.

  
  
  



	16. Left Behind

A warm breeze came over the plains as Dallia walked with Kylo, hand in hand. Every few steps, she stumbled over her dress a little, not ever having worn one. She had found it in a drawer back at the lake house after Kylo had told her that the people of Naboo were so wealthy that they provided clothes for their guests. Skeptical, wondering if Kylo only said that so he could see her in a dress, she wore it anyway. As they walked through the tall grass, the golden dress seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. The stitch-work across the front was stunning, making her look like royalty. For such a decorated dress, it was surprisingly comfortable, allowing for her to feel more at ease. 

As they then reached the top of a small hill, Dallia gasped, seeing the view before her. The magnificent scene in front of her was the same one from the vision she had a while back, making her feel somewhat nostalgic. The grand ledge of waterfalls in the distance were a sight she never wanted to stop looking at; they were truly mesmerizing. Looking up to Kylo, who was in a set of dark gray robes, which was not very characteristic of him, she saw his eyes on the scenery. His face was almost content, something she never thought she'd see from Kylo. Gazing down at his other hand, she saw a small basket, reminding her of the picnic they were to have. Smiling, she tugged him forward gently, leading him closer to the waterfall. As they picked up their pace, Dallia took hold of the fabric of her dress, not wanting to trip over it anymore. Finally reaching a comfortable spot, Kylo set down the basket and took a woven blanket out of it, spreading it out in the soft green grass. Dallia turned back to the falls, inhaling deeply, wanting to breathe the fresh air all around her. The faint noise of the falling water was almost beautiful to her; she had never experienced anything so beautiful. 

“Come here, my love.” She heard from behind her. 

Thinking back to her vision, she turned around with a huge smile, seeing Kylo sitting on the blanket, beckoning for her to come join him. Feeling joy run through her veins, she happily approached the blanket. Before she could sit down, she felt his hands shoot up and grab her by the waist, pulling her onto his lap. Letting out a laugh, Dallia scolded herself for not remembering that would happen. 

“You look just like a sun in that dress.” He hummed, tracing some of the beadwork on her shoulder with one of his fingers.

“Does that mean you’re a moon?” She asked, smiling.

He paused for a moment. “I suppose it does, yes.”

“There can always be two suns, though.” Dallia told him after a moment of thought. “What about Tatooine?”

She watched as he looked down and smiled lightly, not saying anything. Resting her head against his shoulder, Dallia closed her eyes, taking in the peaceful sound of the water. She felt so relaxed and happy, without a care in the world. Even with events from the day before, she still felt comfortable and surprisingly safe. 

“I want you to be my Empress.” He said suddenly, interrupting the silence. 

“Empress?” She asked, feeling confused.

“Why of course.” He said. “Me, Supreme leader. You, my Empress. Together we will rule the galaxy.”

Dallia swallowed nervously, looking down at her lap.

“There’s no need to be nervous, my love.” He assured her. “I will be with you every step of the way. Besides, you still need more training.”

“Oh, of course. Thank you.” She told him, still feeling nervous. Clearly, he could feel her hesitation, but luckily he couldn’t tell why. There was no way she was going to tell him that she didn’t want to be a part of the First Order anymore. 

They sat there for a few hours, snacking on the items in the picnic basket and talking about how beautiful the planet was. As the sun began to set, they packed everything into the basket and made their way back to the lake house. While they walked, Dallia held his hand, which nearly dwarfed her own. She felt happy that he was having a good time; he deserved some rest away from the First Order. On the Finalizer, everything and everyone was so uptight, out of constant fear that something terrible might happen. It was no way to live. She enjoyed being on Naboo so much more, even if she did miss her lunches with Ben.

As they got back to the lake house, Dallia rushed back to the bedroom, peeling the dress off of her body and putting her robes back on, which felt a lot more like her. She was definitely not a dress person; she enjoyed wearing pants because of their mobility. Tying her hair back, she hopped into bed with a loud sigh. She looked over to see Kylo at the door, staring at her with content. 

“What?” She laughed.

“I’m the luckiest man in the galaxy.” He hummed. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”

Dallia turned her head away, blushing violently. She felt him approach the bed and get under the covers with her. Looking towards him, she watched as he slid closer and grabbed her face, pulling her in for a kiss. His lips felt so soft against her as she felt him grab her waist, yanking her forward so their hips were touching. Breaking the kiss, he leaned back, admiring her for a moment before smiling. The sight of his smile brought butterflies to Dallia’s stomach, giving her a warm, happy feeling deep within herself. 

“Goodnight, my love.” He whispered to her before resting his head down on his pillow, closing his eyes gently.

“Goodnight.” Dallia responded softly, still smiling.

As she then got comfortable in the bed, she felt Kylo reach out and press his chest against her back, making her feel safe. Letting out a content sigh, Dallia found herself drifting off into a peaceful sleep, thinking about the wonderful day they had shared together.

As a few hours passed, Dallia found herself slowly waking up, feeling the force pull her out of her deep sleep. Confused, she gently untangled herself from Kylo’s grip, getting out of the bed, trying to read where the force wanted her to go. Quietly leaving the bedroom, she found herself in the open hallway, feeling a warm breeze that came from the balcony. As she began to walk towards the opening, a shape began to appear before her. Stepping out onto the balcony, she noticed that it was a young man with shoulder-length brown hair, gazing at her softly. He seemed to have a blue aura surrounding him, making him appear almost heavenly. He wore long brown robes that looked similar to her own. Approaching him, she recognized who it was: the young Darth Vader from her vision.

“Are you real?” She squeaked, looking at him nervously.

The man smiled. “Yes, I am... I’m Anakin.”

“Was that your name before you became Darth Vader?” She asked.

“Yes, it was.” He said. Dallia could hear the pain in his voice. “But enough of that. I’m here to tell you something very important.”

“What is it?” She asked him.

“There are secrets about your origin that not even you know, young one.” He explained. “You are destined to bring light to the dark side, bringing peace to the galaxy as predicted years ago. You must seek out a young girl named Rey. You and her are connected in a way that will soon be revealed to you.”

“How do I find her?” She asked, feeling very confused.

“You must escape tonight. After you find a ship, reach out into the force, I will guide you.” He told her. “Ben must not know of your trip.”

“Ben?” She asked.

“My grandson, Ben.” He said. “That was his name before he hid behind the name of Kylo Ren.”

Something suddenly clicked in Dallia’s head. It now made sense: Kylo’s irritation towards Bendarr. Although she knew that he had feelings of jealousy towards her closeness with Bendarr at times, she could understand why he would feel resentment towards him for his name as well. Beginning to feel sympathy for Kylo and his painful memories, she began to wonder why he turned to the dark side in the first place.

Turning to the blue figure, she nodded lightly. “I know what I must do… but what about Ben?” 

“Your bond with him will keep him close. But do not reveal to him what you are doing while away. Everything will work out in time.” He explained, his expression soft. “Now, go find Rey, she will help you on your journey, young one. May the force be with you.”

Before Dallia could ask any more questions, the man disappeared, leaving her alone on the balcony. As the breeze ran through her hair, she looked around, not knowing exactly what just happened. She felt confused as to why she had to bring light to the dark. She barely even knew what that meant. Pushing her doubts to the back of her head, she sprinted back to the bedroom she shared with Kylo, grabbing her bag and an extra set of light robes. Before she left the room, she gazed back at Kylo, who was sound asleep. Admiring his beautiful face for a few more moments, she felt her heartache. She didn’t want to leave him, but she knew she had to. After all, she would be reunited with him after her trip, which she hoped would be short. Pulling herself out of her own thoughts, she quietly left him, leaving the house without a single sound. 

As she made her way down to the city center, she came across a shipyard, similar to the one Kylo had landed their own ship in. After hopping a gate and staying hidden in the shadows, she found herself in front of a small, silver ship, which appeared to be quite old. She then scanned the area, looking for anyone who was coming. Seeing no one, she hunched down, quickly making her way into the small ship. Once inside, she reached into her bag, pulling out a small hologram device Bendarr had given her a while back. Pressing the red button on the side, she heard it buzz softly for a moment before showing a picture of Bendarr, who was sitting up in bed, looking very confused and disheveled.

“Dallia!” He groaned. “What do you want at this hour?”

Dallia quickly hushed him. “There’s no time to explain. I need your help starting up a ship. I figured that you would know how.”

“Hm…” He hummed. “I suppose I can help. What kind of ship is it?” He asked.

Dallia looked around, not having any clue. “Here, look around. I’m not sure.” She told him

“Interesting…” He said as Dallia showed him around the ship. “It appears to be a decommissioned E-50. I’m sure I can help you start it up. Start by going up to the cockpit.”

Dallia quickly found her way to the cockpit, sitting herself down in the pilot’s chair in front of the thousands of buttons and switches. Beginning to feel overwhelmed, she wondered if she’d ever make it to Rey.

“Great.” She heard Bendarr say. “Now start up the primary engines using the bigger levers to your right.” 

Dallia looked to her right, finding two levers that were bigger than the others. Pulling the levers up, she heard the ship start up, which created a droning noise. Terrified that someone might hear, she urged Bendarr to hurry up.

“Okay, okay!” He huffed. “While the engines are firing up, press the red button above you that seals the ship for space travel.”

“I got it.” She told him as she pressed the button above her. All around the ship, she heard latches and compartments close with a light sound. 

As Bendarr led her through more procedures, Dallia began to feel more nervous. The ship seemed to be getting louder and louder, just what she feared. If she were to be caught, she would have a very hard time explaining everything to Kylo. She knew that he would think she was purposely abandoning him, which was the last thing she’d want to do. This trip was clearly very important for the galaxy so she’d just have to meet up with him later. 

“You’re almost ready for liftoff.” She heard Bendarr tell her. “Use the pedal and the controls in front of you to guide the ship. Be very gentle, this is an old ship.”

Hands sweaty, Dallia reached for the controls in front of her, gripping them hard. As she pushed into the pedal that fired the engines, she felt the ship slowly make its way off of the surface, rising into the air. Heart racing, she pushed the controls forward slightly, guiding the ship forward, out of the shipyard.

“Great job, Dallia!” Bendarr exclaimed. “You’re a natural.”

“Only thanks to you.” She told him with a smile. 

“Do you think you’ll be alright for the rest of your trip?” He asked her. 

Dallia nodded her head. “I think so. After all, you should be getting back to sleep. I know you have tough classes in the morning.”

“Very hard, indeed.” He said. “I’ll talk to you later, Dallia. Good luck on your trip!”

As she said goodbye, the image of him faded, leaving her alone in the ship. Terrifyingly alone. Looking outside the window in front of her, she watched the atmosphere disappear below her as she finally made it into space. Thinking back to Kylo one last time, she felt her heart begin to ache. Trying to console herself, she reminded herself that the sooner the trip was over, the sooner she’d see Kylo again. The chilling darkness around her made her uncertain about what to do next. Closing her eyes for a moment, she reached out to the force as best she could. Immediately, she felt it pull her to a place far off to her right. Maneuvering the ship to face that direction, she pressed on the engines, beginning her journey to find Rey.

  
  



	17. A Disorderly Family

Traveling through the unknown, Dallia's pressed into the force, feeling it guide her on a path to Rey. Still quite confused as to what the girl would do for her, she placed her trust in the force and in Anakin, knowing what she had to do. As each star around her glistened in the distance like grains of sand, she felt herself smile, realizing that she was finally doing what she had always wanted to do: fly through space. She had to admit, it wasn't as exhilarating as she imagined all those years ago. Wishing that Kylo were there to cheer her up, she sighed, feeling an ache deep in her heart. 

Hours and hours had passed since she had left Kylo on Naboo, which left her very tired, eager to reach her destination. Looking up from the thousands of buttons on the panel in front of her, she noticed that she was finally approaching a planet. Feeling it draw her in, she increased the ship's engines, flying straight toward the planet. Upon breaking into the atmosphere, she noticed that the planet was almost entirely covered in water, something she had never seen before. As the ship descended, flying above the blue surface, she looked around for any sign of land. Flying through air, she began to feel a familiar pull coming from the direction she was headed. Although her heart began to beat faster, she pressed on, needing to see what was beyond the horizon. Watching some clouds dissolve from view, she finally saw it: a tall, mountainous island. 

Slowing the ship down, she gazed at the island before her. The tallest point of the island loomed over her, its beauty making her feel almost intimidated. Its green grass hugged the cliffs and peaks, reminding her of the green she had seen on Naboo with Kylo. Up ahead she saw another ship sitting near the water at the base of the island. Flying closer, she carefully landed hers there as well, figuring she could get help from whoever owned the gray cargo ship there. Flipping a few switches, turning the engines off and releasing the hatches, she left the ship’s cockpit, grabbing her small bag and slinging it over her shoulder before exiting the ship. As she stepped on the rocky surface, she immediately felt a salty breeze sweep across her face. Not wanting to be bothered, she tied her hair up quickly before turning to the other ship. She laughed, seeing that it looked similar to a ship she had seen Han Solo fly on posters in cantinas. Thinking to herself for a moment, she knew that if she ever saw the Millennium Falcon in person, she would probably faint on the spot. As she gazed at the gray ship, smiling, she noticed how beat up it appeared to be, making her wonder who its owner was. As if on cue, a Wookie emerged from the ship, walking down the ramp with haste. She watched as he turned to her, looking quite confused.

“Uh... hello!” Dallia said, greeting him. “Are you the owner of this ship?”

The Wookie tilted his head, thinking for a moment. After his pause, he said something in language Dallia couldn’t understand, pointing up the mountain. Understanding what he meant with his point, Dallia thanked him before making her way to the set of rocky stairs that appeared to lead up and around the island. Taking a deep breath, she began her journey up the long staircase, leaving her ship down below with the Wookie. As she hiked up the mountain, she felt her legs begin to ache and her back become wet with sweat as the sun beat down on her. Pressing into the force once more, she felt Anakin lead her up the mountain. She knew that Rey was close. Upon reaching a small break in the steps, she noticed a tiny stone village in front of her. She watched as the small natives there appeared to be unbothered by her presence as they kept tidying up the place, speaking hastily in their unique language. Walking through the tiny village, she noticed that there were other levels of their tiny homes on different parts of the island. Despite feeling rude for intruding in their establishment she carried on, feeling that Rey was somewhere ahead. Reaching the end of the village, she spotted two huts that appeared to be slightly larger and separated from the rest. Reaching out, she felt that Rey was in one of them. As she stepped forward, she immediately felt nervous. Raising a shaky hand, she knocked on the door of the small, stone hut awkwardly. Before she even dropped her hand to her side, she heard the sound of a lightsaber ignite behind her, feeling it inches from the back of her neck.

“Who are you?” She heard a girl snap.

Whipping around, Dallia gasped. It was Rey. She was the girl from her visions. Mouth wide open, not knowing what to say, she looked around nervously.

“Well?” Rey hissed. “You appear to be in force-user robes. I pray you answer wisely.”

“I’m Dallia.” She stuttered. “Part of the force sent me to find you. I’m not quite sure why.”

She watched as the girl slowly lowered her saber when she released that Dallia didn’t carry any weapons. The girl studied her face, looking skeptical.

“What do you mean the force sent you?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I was visited by a force being who told me that I was the one to bring balance to the force but only with your help. He said that we’re connected somehow.” Dallia tried to explain.

Before she could say anything else, she felt Rey grab her wrist, leading her away from her small hut. Dallia stumbled, following her up another long set of stairs to a small cave. Entering the cave, she began to feel her nerves rise, wondering where she was being taken. Their footsteps echoed in the dim tunnel. Up ahead, she saw an opening that opened out to a ledge, which was positioned over the water below. As Rey led her into a circular room before the ledge, she noticed that the floor had a strange circle on it that was divided into two pieces, one light and one dark. 

“Master Skywalker!” She heard Rey call out.

From another part of the cave, she saw as an old man emerged, looking slightly annoyed and worn out. As he stepped forward, he then noticed Dallia, beginning to look very confused. 

“Rey, who is this?” He asked, examining Dallia’s robes.

“This is Dallia.” Rey explained. “She said the force sent her here and that she plays an important role in bringing balance back to the force.”

Dallia watched the man raise an eyebrow as he approached her. His tattered gray robes trailed behind him. 

“Well, Dallia, tell me more.” He urged her.

Dallia nodded awkwardly. “I was visited by a man called Anakin through the force. He said that he was Darth-”

“Vader…” The man whispered, looking around uncomfortably.

“You knew Anakin?” She asked.

The man paused. “He was my father.”

Dallia’s heart dropped, feeling as if she were hit in the stomach. “So… you- you’re Kylo Ren’s father?”

The man looked up, his face beginning to look angry. “No. He is my nephew. How do you know of all of this?”

Dallia looked around frantically, not knowing what to say. 

“You’re from the First Order, aren’t you?” Rey asked, stepping away from her. Dallia watched her grip the hilt of her saber tightly. 

“I- I am.” She stuttered, hearing both of them gasp in the dead silence of the cave. “I’m the First Order’s new Empress, second in command to Kylo Ren. Although I’m quite close with Kylo, I’ve been distancing myself from the dark side as much as possible. I’ve seen the light in Kylo and I know that with your help, Rey, we’ll be able to turn him to the light side with the rest of the galaxy. Honestly, I don’t know much about the light side but I do know that I don’t belong with the dark. There’s something deep within myself, pulling me to the light and I feel as if I must follow it.” 

As she finished her confession, the only sound that could be heard were the light waves outside of the cave. She cast her gaze to the stone floor, ready to hear whatever they had to say next. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as the old man walked up to her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. Raising her head, she noticed his worn out face painted with sadness.

“My father was the chosen one.” He told her. “He was supposed to bring balance and peace before he turned. All I ask is, why you?”

Dallia looked down again. “I’m not sure. I’ve been told there are things about myself that I don’t know yet. I only hope that I’ll find out soon.”

“I believe you, Dallia.” The man said to her surprise. “I feel the light in you just as I feel it in Rey. As for Ren, I believe that he will never turn back; there isn’t any hope for him. You’d be wise to leave your life with him and the First Order.”

“I can’t leave him.” Dallia said, a small tear forming in her eye. “He’s not the monster everyone thinks he is. I have hope that he will turn in time.”

The man sighed, not wanting to argue any further. “Rey, please show her where she may stay while she’s here with us.”

“Yes, master.” She replied, nodding her head at Dallia, telling her to follow.

Giving the man one last look, she followed Rey out of the dim cave and into the fresh air. Emerging out onto the green grass she looked over to Rey, who seemed a little uneasy.

“I believe you when you say that Kylo has a chance of turning.” She mumbled. “I still think he is a monster, though. He was responsible for his own father’s death after all. Han was like a father to me before he died.”

“Han?” Dallia asked.

“Han Solo, his father.” Rey replied, beginning to lead her down some stone steps absentmindedly. 

Dallia felt her heart skip a beat as she heard Rey’s words. She had no idea that Kylo’s father was Han Solo. She could barely believe it. How was it possible that so many people she knew were connected in this way? 

“The ship down at the shore. Is that the Millennium Falcon?” She asked Rey.

“Yes, that’s how I got here.” She replied. Dallia felt herself smile widely, thinking back to the ship. What an amazing coincidence. 

Following Rey back to the stone huts, she was led to one that was near her own. She opened the door for her, allowing her to look inside. The only things inside were a bench for sleeping and a tiny window on the wall, overlooking the water. 

“I’ll be going down to the water to gather some fish for dinner later if you’d like to join me.” Rey told her, standing in the doorway. “I usually eat dinner alone, I would really appreciate the company.”

“Of course.” Dallia said. “I would love that.”

With a smile, Rey left the doorway, heading over to her own hut. Dallia really liked her. She seemed to have a strength and fearlessness she had always wanted. As she began to think back to the day’s events, she began to feel a pressure in her head. Feeling the headache consume her head, she realized that it was Kylo trying to connect with her. Fighting the pressure, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hide herself from Kylo as best she could. Beginning to breathe heavily, she felt as he inched closer and closer into her mind. He was far too strong to counter. Letting him into her mind, she then saw the vision of him standing in the hallway in the lake house on Naboo, looking quite angry.

“Where the hell are you?” He snapped. 

“Kylo I-...” She mumbled. “While I was asleep with you I felt a pull from the force and I decided to follow it. I’m not quite sure where I am right now.”

She heard Kylo let out a frustrated sigh. “So you stole a ship? And left me? We were having such a wonderful time here on Naboo, why would you ever want to leave?”

“Kylo, I’m very sorry.” She said. “I don’t really know why but the force was calling out to me. I’ll be returning to the Finalizer in a few days, I promise.”

“I hope you keep your word.” He snapped. “The Empress of the First Order cannot be seen traveling around the galaxy in some stolen ship.”

Upon saying his last words, their connection was immediately broken, leaving Dallia alone in her hut, feeling a wave of sadness wash over herself. She missed him dearly. Wanting to be reunited with Kylo as soon as possible, she promised herself to leave the island, with Rey, in no more than three days. All she needed to do was convince Rey to come with her. 

  
  



	18. The First Step of a Long Staircase

The next morning Dallia woke up to a ray of sun shining across her face. Rolling onto her back, she began to miss her soft bed on the Finalizer. Sleeping on a stone slab was not the same. As she slowly sat up, she glanced out the tiny window to the ocean. Hearing the peaceful waves, she took a deep breath, preparing herself for the day to come. Running a hand through her hand and smoothing out her robes, she opened the door to her hut, stepping out into the fresh breezy air. Taking a look around, she then noticed the sound of a swinging lightsaber nearby. Following the sound, she was led to a nearby ledge, overlooking the water. Below on another piece of stone was Rey, swinging her blue saber back and forth, striking at an invisible opponent. Dallia smiled as she watched her careful and precise movements whirl through the air. 

"Your form is excellent." She called out to her, making her way down to the level she was on. She watched her drop her saber and turn towards her.

"Thank you." She said. "Master Skywalker has been such a great teacher."

Dallia smiled. "Rey, out of all places, why are you here?"

"I'm from the Resistance." She explained, causing Dallia to suddenly feel guilty. "General Leia Organa, Master Skywalker's sister, sent me here to convince him to come back to the Resistance after he had isolated himself here. I guess you could say it's still a work in progress, but for the meantime, he's agreed to teach me the ways of the force."

"So he's training you to become a Jedi?" Dallia asked.

Rey then began to laugh. "Master Skywalker says that he's closed himself off from the force and doesn't exactly identify with being a Jedi anymore. After all, he was the last one. It would be too hard to revive the Jedi Order. I like to say that I'm a force user who finds my strength through balance and peace, not light or dark."

"Interesting." Dallia hummed. "I hope I'm able to learn more from the both of you."

She watched as Rey smiled at her. "You're quite strange, Dallia. I've never heard of a dark side user wanting to convert so willingly."

"I'd never say I was a dark side user." Dallia told her. "I honestly haven't had much force training. Ever since I killed the Supreme Leader, other things have gotten in the way."

"You killed Snoke?" Rey asked, looking very surprised. "How did you manage that? And why?"

"He threatened Kylo after he found out that we were close." She said. "I couldn't watch him die so I found an opportunity and took it."

Rey looked at her, still in shock. "So you really do care for Kylo?"

Dallia nodded, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "I care for him so much. I can only hope that he'll turn with me when the time comes."

She watched as Rey began to look uncomfortable as she looked around awkwardly. Not wanting to upset her any further, she changed the topic.

"Where do you come from, Rey?" She asked her.

Rey thought for a moment before speaking. "I'm from nowhere really. I was left on Jakku by my parents so long ago. I spent my whole life waiting for them to come back."

"I truly understand." Dallia told her. "I was left on Kessel by my own parents. It was hard growing up without a family but I’ve made it work.”

Suddenly, she heard the old man call out from the ledge above them. Rey turned, calling back, telling him that she’d be right there. As she then climbed the steps, Dallia followed her, not having anything else to do. She watched as Rey hooked her lightsaber onto her hip as she walked, making her think back to the kyber crystal she was given a while back. She wondered if she could find any scrap metal on the island.

“Goodmorning, you two.” The old man said as they both approached him. “Rey, your stance has improved greatly. I was watching from up here.”

“Thank you, master.” She said, smiling.

The old man then turned to Dallia. “Where is your lightsaber?” He asked her, nearly reading her thoughts.

“I don’t have one yet.” She explained. “I only have the crystal.”

“Interesting.” He hummed. “Would you like help in constructing it?”

“I would very much appreciate that.” Dallia told him, feeling a rush of happiness. 

The old man paused for a moment, thinking. “Follow me.”

Dallia glanced back at Rey, giving her a confused look as she began to follow him down the large stone staircase. Feeling the wind whip her hair around, she breathed in the fresh air, taking in the clean atmosphere. As they traveled down and down, she felt her legs begin to ache, wondering how the old man had spent so long on this island. Seeing the two ships below, she wondered why they were headed in the direction. As they reached the bottom of the steps, she noticed a few native creatures scurrying around. They seemed to be some type of round birds, squawking at nothing in particular. 

“Damn Porgs…” She heard the old man grumble as he led her to the Millennium Falcon.

Feeling a rush of excitement to board the ship, Dallia hurried behind him. Upon entering, she saw the Wookie sitting back eating a ration pack. With seeing them both, he quickly stood up, greeting them both in his language. 

“Nice to see you too, Chewie.” The man said. “We’re in need of some old metal parts. Do you have any?”

Dallia watched the Wookie think for a moment before speaking to the man again. Not understanding a word, Dallia looked around curiously, admiring the insides of the ship. She wondered if Kylo had grown up walking through the ship, a beautiful smile across his face, looking at all of the ship’s strange buttons and switches. Feeling her heart ache with the thought, she quickly pushed it to the back of her mind just in time to hear the old man thank the Wookie and begin to walk to the back of the ship. Following him down the hall, she found herself in a small room filled with a few crates of spare parts. 

“This should do.” She heard him say, reaching his hands into a crate, pulling out a bunch of pieces of metal. “If you would like to train under me, you will first need a lightsaber.”

Dallia took the pieces of metal into her own hands. Looking down at the scraps, she began to feel unworthy of such a task. She had imagined herself building her first saber with Kylo at her side, guiding her the whole way. Instead, she was on an island on a remote planet she didn’t even know the name to, speaking with Kylo’s uncle and some girl who was apparently supposed to be connected to her in some way. She felt as if her whole life had been flipped upside down so suddenly. Pushing a tear back into her eye, she straightened her shoulders, standing up taller. 

“I can do it, master.” She told him, gripping the metal.

Before she was able to hear a response, she was out of the ship, standing in front of the long staircase. Inhaling a deep breath, she began climbing as fast as she could to the top. She needed to build that saber. As she reached the top, she was nearly gasping for breath, cursing the fact that the village was built so high up on the island. Quickly, she made her way down to the ledge where Rey had been practicing earlier that day. 

As she sat down on the stone, she felt the soft air swirl around her. Although quite nervous, she tried her best to center herself, connecting herself to the force as best she could. Grabbing her small bag, which was slung over on her back, she pulled out a tiny welder that she always kept with her. Kylo had told her it was a good idea to always keep one in case there was ever a door she needed to break into. Smiling at the thought, she gazed at the pieces of metal that she had set out in front of herself on the stone. Welder in hand, she closed her eyes, focusing in on the pieces carefully. She felt as the force guided her hands to reach out and connect the pieces together with ease. As the saber began to be constructed, she felt as the scraps were fitting together perfectly, feeling a hilt in her hands. After a few more minutes of concentration, she felt the force leave her hands, leaving her with a heavy cylinder resting in her grip. Smiling, she opened her eyes, finally seeing her creation. It was beautifully crafted, its round body shining in the sun. 

“Without me?” She heard a voice say behind her.

Quickly standing up, she noticed that it was Kylo, who seemed to be standing in his own quarters, having just arrived back at the Finalizer. He must have wiggled his way into her mind when she was focusing on the saber. His eyes were full of tears, which was very unlike him. She had never expected to see him to be so upset over anything.

“I- I thought I would need one for self defense…” She told him. “Just in case.”

“Where the hell are you, Dallia?” He cried. “Is it dangerous there? What planet are you even on? I’ve never seen any planet like this.”

Dallia felt a tear roll down her cheek watching him act that way. “I don’t know.” She said simply.

“Come back to me.” He said, his voice cracking. Before Dallia could respond, the image of him vanished, leaving her feeling sick.

Even though her feelings of guilt seemed to multiply every second she stayed on the island, she knew she needed to finish what she started. The more she ruminated over it, the more she knew that the First Order was a terrifying, evil power in the galaxy. She couldn’t even believe that she was nearly brainwashed by Kylo. Being on their side wasn’t right. Even though she cared for him deeply, she needed to finish what Anakin told her. Before she could bring Rey back to the First Order, she needed training, and the only way she was to get training was through Master Skywalker.

Suddenly remembering the last part of the saber, she reached into the pocket of her robes, taking out the small crystal Snoke had given her prior to his death. Holding between her pointer finger and thumb, she admired its shine and the powerful sensation that ran through her body when she held it. It truly felt like the force in its purest form. Letting the force guide the crystal in her hand, she wedged it into the middle of the saber, where she had created a space for it. As it clicked into place, she felt a wave of emotions crash over her, leaving her staring at the saber, feeling overwhelmed. Reaching out, she took hold of the saber, her grip strong like Kylo had taught her. As she ignited the saber, she gasped. The blade was not blue like Rey’s or red like Kylo’s but golden, like a sun’s bright rays. Waving the saber around, it made a satisfying noise, making her smile. It was beautiful and elegant, strong and powerful. It was the first step on the road to bringing balance to the galaxy and finally saving Kylo from himself. 

  
  



	19. Reunited at Last

Tossing and turning in her bed, Dallia couldn't seem to sleep that breezy night. Moonlight shone from the tiny window into her small hut, making her feel uneasy and wide awake. She couldn't seem to stop thinking about Kylo. Her heart urged her to try and contact him through the force but her head knew better. She needed to distance herself for the time being and focus on her own journey... somehow. Still having no idea how to accomplish such a task, she sighed. It all seemed so impossible. Suddenly a knock came from the door. A moment later, she saw Rey poke her head in.

"Are you all right?" She asked, slowly entering the hut. "I've been hearing you toss and turn for quite some time now."

Dallia sighed again. "Yeah, I've just been thinking too much to sleep."

"About Kylo?" She said quietly, visibly uncomfortable. 

Dallia nodded, not wanting to upset her.

"He's been hunting me down for a while now." She heard Rey explain to her surprise. "He's brought me so much pain. I know he only wants me and Luke dead." She said, gesturing to the old man's hut up the hill.

"I can't imagine how that feels." Dallia told her, feeling terrible for the things she had to endure all because of Kylo.

"I'm strong though." Rey said, looking at the stone floor of the hut. "I'll go with you on your journey and we'll make everything better once again."

"And Kylo?" Dallia asked.

Rey sighed. "He won't turn back, Dallia. He's too far gone. I've seen it firsthand."

Dallia said nothing in return, looking around the hut awkwardly. She didn’t want to argue with her. She knew that there was still light in Kylo, but it would take a long time to finally turn him. If Rey was no help, she knew she had to do it herself. Turning to Rey, she watched her eyebrows furrow, showing that she was thinking about something.

“Come with me.” She told her, leaving the hut.

Confused, Dallia grabbed her lightsaber and followed her out into the fresh night air. Looking around, she noticed that Rey was already climbing the steps, several yards ahead. Sprinting to catch up, Dallia climbed the steps behind her, making her way to the top of the island again. With the wind whipping around them, she began to feel a slight chill, wishing she had grabbed her thicker robes. As they reached the top, Rey paused for a moment, thinking once more. 

“What is it?” Dallia asked her, catching up.

Rey shook her head and began heading towards the cave Dallia had met Luke in not that long ago. Upon entering, she heard only the echoes of their own footsteps, causing an uneasy chill to run up her spine. Dodging the small puddles on the ground, she found herself in the main room with Rey. Below them was the decorated floorpiece, depicting what Dallia thought was the balance between light and dark. 

“I’ve heard this place calling to me ever since I arrived here.” Rey said. “I figured that since you had been abandoned by your parents that you would accompany me.”

“Accompany you where?” Dallia asked, beginning to feel nervous.

Rey pointed down below the edge of the ledge on the far side of the cave. Stepping forward, Dallia saw dark water swirling many feet below. Feeling a familiar pull towards it, she quickly stumbled back, falling to the ground.

“The dark side is what’s pulling you down there, Rey!” She told her. “I cannot give into it anymore and I cannot let you either.”

“It holds answers about my parents!” Rey cried. “I have to know, Dallia.”

Dallia watched her shake in desperation. “Go, if you must, but it is a great risk.”

She watched Rey approach the ledge, still shaking. Dallia slowly got up from the hard stone ground and stood beside her, trying to give her courage and strength as best she could. Although she did not support her decision, she knew that there was no way to stop her. Watching Rey clip her saber to her belt, she knew she was about to jump into the water. Giving her one last smile, she watched as Rey jumped off the ledge. Not a second later, she felt a yank from her hand, pulling her into the freezing water below. As she hastefully swam to the surface, gasping for air, she realized that it was Rey who had grabbed onto her hand at the very last minute, taking her down into the terrifying cove. Trying her best to stay above the water, she paddled over to a ledge, pulling herself up onto the stone, beginning to cough up some salty water. 

“Damn, you!” Dallia shouted to her friend as she watched her pull herself onto the stone beside her.

“I had to.” Rey said, wiping some wet hair from her face. “We both don’t know who our parents are, we need to do this together. Wouldn’t you love to know?”

Dallia sighed. “I suppose. I don’t necessarily think of them much, though.”

Beside her, Rey stood up, trying to wring out as much water from her clothes as she could. She watched as she unclipped her saber and ignited it, testing to see if it still worked. The pale blue light filled the cave, illuminating a large reflective wall before them. Scrambling to her feet, Dallia ignited her saber as well, trying to understand what the wall was. Seeing both their reflections in the mirror, Dallia felt her heart skip a beat as she noticed how similar the physical qualities of them actually were. She watched in the mirror as Rey grew closer, eyebrows drawn together, most likely thinking the same thing. Dallia reached out and touched the mirror, placing her fingertips on the ones of her reflection. The moment they touched, she noticed the cave around them begin to distort itself. As both of them whipped around, she realized that they were now in a cave that was entirely surrounded by mirrored walls. Grabbing Rey’s hand, not wanting to lose her, she guided her to one of the walls, staring back at their own reflections. 

“Show me my parents.” Rey whispered, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. 

The mirror’s picture of them both began to fade, revealing two shadows walking towards them. Dallia felt Rey’s grip on her hand tighten nervously as the two shapes grew closer. Suddenly, the figures stopped, frozen in the wall. 

“Show them to me!” Rey cried out, looking around frantically. 

To their surprise, a quiet whisper coming from the walls began to speak: “Ah, the two lost twins…” 

Dallia whipped around, confused as to why it had said that. The voice seemed to be travelling through the walls, unable to be seen. Feeling a chilling force move up her spine, she tried her best to keep her mind intact, not wanting to give into the temptation of the dark. 

“I knew my tricks would work.” It said. “Both of your parents left you because they didn’t care… The both of you are worthless… abandoned… nothing…”

Beside her, Dallia watched as Rey cast her gaze to the floor as the voice began to disappear back to where it came from. As the walls began to dissolve into normal cave walls once more, Dallia felt her heart race, trying to make sense of the confusing news she had just received. 

“You’re my sister?” She whispered to Rey, trying to make sense of it all.

Rey nodded softly. “It seems so. I didn’t know I had a twin.” 

“Me neither.” Dallia told her. 

“We were both abandoned.” Rey cried out, seeming to become more frustrated as she began to make sense of it all. “Left alone with no family. Why would they do that to us?”

“I’m not sure, Rey.” She told her. “We’ll find out someday, I promise you.”

After a long and grueling climb out of the cove, the both of them reached the first cave only to find Luke standing in the middle of the room, looking very angry. He stood there, arms crossed, waiting for an explanation. 

“Master Skywalker!” Rey blurted out. Quickly, her and Rey scrambled to their feet, dripping water onto the dry stone floor before them.

“Rey, Dallia, what is the meaning of this?” He snapped, then turning to Dallia. “Did you do this? Did you lead my student down there where the dark side resides?”

Quickly, Dallia shook her head. Before she could answer, Rey stepped in between her and Luke. She looked bothered by her master’s comments regarding Dallia. 

“It was me, Master. I took her there with me.” She confessed. “That place kept telling me that it held answers regarding… our parents.” 

“Our?” The man asked, a confused look falling upon his face. 

Dallia watched as Rey nodded slowly. Before her, she saw Luke’s face begin to soften as he studied both of their faces intensely. The old man let out a sigh, turning to look out to the ocean through the space up ahead. 

“How did I not see it?” He mumbled, still taken aback. “How did I not feel it?”

“It’s all very… surprising.” Dallia told him as he began to pace around the cave slowly, his eyes still gazing at the ocean as if he were looking for answers. 

“All the more reason to begin your training in the morning.” He told her. “I expect the both of you to be here at dawn. Bring your sabers.”

“Will I be training to be a Jedi, Master?” Dallia blurted out before the man left the cave.

Luke slowly turned around and sighed. “The Jedi have come to an end. I will only be teaching you the ways of the force, not the ways of the Jedi.”

With saying that, he then left the cave, leaving her and Rey alone amongst the sound of the waves below. Giving her one last hopeful look, she said goodnight to her new sister and made her way back to her own hut, allowing Rey to have some time with her own thoughts. It had been an eventful night. Still feeling overwhelmed and quite confused, Dallia settled into bed once reaching her stone shelter.  _ I have a sister.  _ She kept saying to herself.  _ A twin sister.  _ She couldn’t believe that she had family left in the galaxy. She had lived her whole life ignoring the gaping hole in her life: her family. Smiling once more, she felt content with knowing that Rey was one of her own. With her help, she would one day find their parents, wherever they were. Only one thing was left on her mind as she tried to fall asleep once more: why did their parents abandon them all those years ago? 


	20. Back Home

Weeks had passed since Dallia began training alongside Rey. She had felt herself not only grow as a force user, but as a person. Feeling more sure of herself and her emotions, she found herself finding all of the faults of the First Order. Looking back at her life on the Finalizer, she shuddered, not wanting to go back. The only part of the First Order she missed was her old friend Bender and Kylo, of course. Over the past few weeks he had tried to connect with her but each time Dallia blocked him out, only to receive a surge of anger from his end, making Dallia feel guilty for pushing him away for so long. She knew she would see him soon and that everything would be okay once she led him away from the dark, which was corrupting him. She couldn't wait to see his beautiful face again. 

She had spoken with Rey many times in the past few weeks about the Resistance and what they stood for. Each night, she would eat roasted fish over a fire with her, listening to the stories she had of her friends with the Resistance, including Luke's sister, General Organa, who was also Kylo's mother. Dallia listened with awe every night, hoping that one day she would get to meet them, for they all sounded so kind and strong, unlike those in the First Order who were stiff and unpleasant. All except for Bendarr, of course. Thinking back to him, she realized that she missed him a lot more than she had ever thought she would. After all, he did help her escape Naboo. Besides being an amazing friend, she owed him her life for helping her in such a way. 

As the wind blew across the cliffs that night, Rey turned the fish over, checking to see if it had cooked all the way through. Sighing, she looked out to the ocean softly and then back to her sister.

"We should be leaving any day now, correct?" She asked. "After all, Master Skywalker had said you have progressed quite quickly."

Dallia let out a nervous breath. "We should, yes. I'm still surprised you agreed to come back to the Finalizer with me."

"I don't believe Kylo will turn back, Dallia." She explained. "But I suppose I cannot stop you from trying. After all, even if he refuses, I trust you'll have a way to escape quickly."

Dallia nodded, thinking back to the mental map of the Finalizer in the back of her head. "I know Kylo is mad at me, but he should still be happy to see me. I'll explain my absence and try to persuade him to come with me."

Across the fire pit, Rey sighed. Hearing such a hopeless noise, Dallia felt her heart sink. She still had faith in Kylo, even if Rey didn’t. 

“Will Master Skywalker be coming with us?” She asked Rey, changing the subject.

She watched as Rey let out a short laugh. “No, he’s not. I asked him a few days ago and he told me that he wishes to stay on this island for the rest of his life.”

“Why is that?” She asked her.

“None of your business.” Said a voice behind them.

Quickly, they both turned around to see the old man standing there. He appeared to be in his usual grumpy mood. The worn out look on his face made Dallia wonder why he wished to continue to live alone and not with his sister and the Resistance.

“Stop thinking so loudly.” He huffed as he sat down with them, making Dallia’s eyes go wide knowing that he could hear her thoughts just then.

“But Master…” She said. “Why won’t you join them? Even Rey has told me that your sister misses you dearly.” 

“I can’t face her.” He mumbled. “Not after her own son turned to the dark side.”

Dallia’s heart sank. Kylo.

“Master, it wasn’t your fault.” Rey urged him. “You had no way of stopping Snoke from corrupting him.”

The old man looked to the ground, choosing not to answer. 

“Master, please.” Rey begged again.

“Enough!” The man snapped, standing up to his feet. “What’s done is done. I’m spending the rest of my days here.” He then turned to Dallia. “I hope you know that returning back to the First Order is extremely dangerous. Kylo will never turn back. It’s over. I suggest you leave him.”

With saying that, he then stormed off to his hut, slamming the thin door behind him. Dallia and Rey were left sitting before the fire in an awkward silence. The only sounds were the crashing waves down below and the crackling fire that was cooking their dinner. 

“I suppose we’ll be on our own.” Rey whispered, breaking the silence. “I do agree with him, though. Going back to the Finalizer is risky. We need to join with the Resistance and help them for the time being.”

“No.” Dallia told her, taking a stand. “I won’t leave him.”

Rey looked back to the cooking fish, defeated. “Then I propose we leave tomorrow.”

As the night passed, Dallia couldn’t help but feel extremely nervous for her reunion with Kylo. It was absolutely nerve wracking. She wondered if he missed her as much as she missed him. Trying her best to stay calm, she thought through the explanation she was going to give him, which would justify her absence. She only hoped that it would work. With her force training she knew that she would have an easier time convincing him but she did worry that Kylo would be able to sense it. After all, he was a very powerful force user. Her plan was to land in the hangar the next day and lead Rey onto the ship with her as her captive. Leading her to the throne room, she knew she would find Kylo, who would be very pleased to see her and the girl he had been hunting down for so long. After that, she planned on reading the situation and going on from there. She hoped to connect with him again and somehow convince him to join them. She wondered if she were naive for taking on such an enormous task. 

After a restless night of tossing and turning, Dallia found herself laying on her hard bed, staring up at the stone ceiling, which was now shining thanks to the sun rays coming through the small window on the wall. 

“Dallia!” She heard Rey shout from outside. “Let’s go!”

Sighing, Dallia got up and grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. Emerging into the sunny outside, she was met with Rey and Luke. The old man seemed to be bothered by something but Dallia was far too scared to ask what. 

“Should we take your ship?” Rey asked. “Kylo would certainly recognize his father’s own ship.”

“Of course, yes.” Dallia told her.

Watching her sister smile, she then followed them down the long set of steps to the ships. Upon reaching the bottom, Dallia looked back to the staircase that led up the island and sighed. She would miss it here. She had learned so much from Luke and she didn’t want to say goodbye either. As they all reached the ship Dallia had stolen weeks ago, the Wookie emerged from the other ship, calling out to them in his own language. 

“Chewie!” Rey called back. “Stay here. Once Dallia and I have returned to the Resistance, we’ll send you our location so you can return as well. It won't be long, I promise.”

As the Wookie called back to her, Rey smiled and waved goodbye. Seeing the ship’s doors opened, Dallia turned back to Luke, who still seemed to be upset. Or perhaps he was just being his normal, grumpy self.

“Master, I won’t forget your kindness.” She told him. “I have learned so much from you. I am ready for the next part of my journey, whatever that may be.”

She watched as he nodded his head respectfully. After Rey then said her short goodbye and thanked him, they both boarded the ship. 

“I’ll handle this.” Rey told her jokingly, setting down her bags and heading to the cockpit.

Dallia watched as Rey sat in the pilot’s seat and began firing up the ship with ease, much faster than she ever could. As the droning sound broke the silence, Dallia glanced out the window to Luke, who was gazing at the Millenium Falcon with a solemn look on his face. 

“I wonder what’s making him act so strangely.” She thought out loud.

“I can only guess that he’s missing us already.” Rey told her. “After all, once Chewie leaves for the Resistance, he’ll be utterly alone again.”

“You’re right.” Dallia sighed, taking her glance away from the sad sight out of the window. 

From the pilot’s chair, Rey was flipping switches and pressing buttons furiously as the ship began to seal its doors. Dallia wondered where she had learned to operate a ship this well. She remembered Rey telling her about Jakku, where she was left as a child, but she wondered how she got so much experience. Suddenly, a thought rushed through her head. 

“Rey, what did Jakuu look like exactly?” She asked as the ship began its ascension into the atmosphere. 

Rey suddenly frowned. “Dry and sandy. That’s about it.”

Dallia’s eyes suddenly widened. “I’ve seen a vision of us as children.”

“A vision?” Rey asked, turning back to her as the ship emerged into space. 

“Yes!” Dallia exclaimed. “I’ve had visions of the past and the future before. I haven’t told anyone about it except for Kylo. Not long ago I had a vision of two baby girls on a ship with their parents. I remember looking outside to a dusty, tan planet. Moments later, one of the girls was taken by some large man who lived there. I remember standing there, watching the parents cry. That was you. You were the girl left on that planet. They must have abandoned me on Kessel right after that.”

She watched as Rey was looking around frantically. “Why would they do that to us?” 

“I wish I knew the answer.” Dallia told her. “What matters is that we’re together now. Once our duty is over, I promise you that we’ll find them.”

Even though she was in pain, Rey smiled softly, turning back to the ship controls. A few moments of silence overcame them as they made their way through the emptiness of the galaxy.

“Where is the Finalizer stationed anyway?” She asked Dallia after a few moments.

Dallia froze. “I- I’m not quite sure.”

“Dallia!” Rey exclaimed, eyes wide. “You’re supposed to know this!” 

Quickly, Dallia excused herself and made her way back to the ship, leaving Rey to pilot the ship into the unknown. Locking herself in a supply space, she took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. As she settled down, she reached out using the force, hoping for an answer from Kylo. Immediately, she saw the image of Kylo on his throne, surrounded by red guards. He must have recruited more after they had killed off Snoke’s. 

“Dallia…” He stuttered, surprised by their connection. 

“Kylo, I’m finally coming back.” She told him. “I need the coordinates of the Finalizer.”

“Why should I let you come back?” He snapped, scaring her. “All you’ve done is block me out.”

“I had to. I’m so sorry.” She explained. “Believe me, I’ve missed you more than anything.”

“Then why was the force leading you away from me?” He growled.

“I can’t explain right now.” She said. “I do have something of great importance to bring back to you. I’m sure you will be quite pleased.”

Suddenly Kylo’s face twisted in amusement. “Interesting… I do hope you travel quickly, my apprentice. We are currently refueling not far from D’Qar. Unfortunately, the Resistance was able to evacuate before the majority of our forces were deployed to their base. We are tracking them now and will begin our chase once we’re done refueling. I do hope your little present will aid me in this task. Travel quickly.”

With that, the connection was broken, leaving Dallia feeling nervous. Kylo seemed more aggressive than usual, most likely stemming from the loss on D’Qar. 

“Dallia!” She heard from the front of the ship. “What are you doing back there? I still need coordinates!”

With a sigh, Dallia tried her best to compose herself. As she approached the cockpit, she saw Rey sitting back in the chair, looking annoyed and defeated. 

“No need to worry.” Dallia told her. “I was only meditating, trying to remember where the Finalizer last was. I believe it’s not far from D’Qar. We should try there.”

Surprised at Dallia’s realization, Rey gave her a funny look before she began typing in coordinates on the small screen in front of her. The ship then placed itself on the course, beginning to jump to hyperspace, which Rey claimed would be the best method of travel to the region as it was quite a ways away. Satisfied, Dallia headed to the back of the ship once more and found a comfortable spot to take a nap.

_ A wide, white plain was before her. Clearly, Dallia was not on a planet she had ever seen before, even on datapads. There was rubble scattering the plain in front of her, most of which appeared to be First Order weaponry and AT-ATs. It appeared to have fallen from the steep cliff that hung overhead, looming over the white, dusty canyon. Dead bodies lay everywhere, most covered with large boulders and rocks, appearing to have been crushed by a landslide. As Dallia looked at the cliff again, she noticed a large, gray object wedged in the stone wall. Squinting her eyes, she couldn’t quite make out what it was.  _

_ Hearing footsteps behind her, she whipped around to see Kylo standing there. He was dressed in plain, black clothes, not robes. He seemed to be happy, yet pained. The very sight of him made Dallia’s heart begin to ache. Looking behind him, Dallia saw a huge wall of iron that looked like some militaristic base. The base as well as the battle trenches before it were filled with people who shared the same expression as Kylo. Them seemed relieved and heartbroken at the same time. Scanning the base, Dallia caught sight of Rey, who was hugging an older woman who seemed to be crying with her. Suddenly feeling sad for those in the base, Dallia turned to Kylo again, taking in his beautiful, worn out face. The chilling silence that spread across the canyon made the hair on her arms stand up. Where was she? What had just happened? _

Immediately, Dallia was jolted out of her dream by Rey. Trying to get her bearings, she remembered that she was on the ship with her sister, on their way to the Finalizer.

“We’re almost there.” Rey told her, warningly. “I found some hand binders in the supply cabinet. Will they work?”

Dallia nodded her head, slowly getting to her feet and taking the binders from her. The both of them made their way back to the cockpit just in time for the ship to exit hyperspace. As the both of them looked around, they saw D’Qar a few degrees to the right of the ship. Sitting directly above its atmosphere was the great looming Finalizer, their destination. 

“It’s terrifying.” Rey whispered as she slowly moved the ship towards the large object.

Suddenly, the radio transmitter clicked on.

“This is Petty Officer Thanisson. Please report your ship number and your business on the Finalizer.” Said a voice.

“This is Empress Dallia Casbon. I’m returning from my trip. The Supreme Leader is expecting me.” She explained, hoping she would be granted clearance.

“Of course, Empress. Please make your way into the eastern hangar for your landing.” The man said. 

Immediately the radio connection cut off, leaving them on their way to the hangar. As they approached the open space in the ship, Dallia felt herself break out in a cold, nervous sweat. Quickly, she grabbed the binders, placing them on Rey’s wrists as the ship landed in the hangar. As the sealed doors released and opened out to the hangar, Dallia’s heart began racing. She quickly unclipped the hilt of her saber from her belt and held it in her hand tightly as she began to lead her captive out of the ship. Upon exiting the ship, she recognized General Hux, who had come to oversee her arrival. 

“Empress!” He gasped, seeing Rey in binders. “Is that-”

“No need to create a scene, General.” Dallia snapped, trying to imitate Kylo’s rude behavior. “I wish to bring Ren his prisoner uninterrupted.”

Audibly swallowing nervously, the General stepped aside, allowing them to pass. After reaching the large hallway from the hangar, Dallia let out a breath, relieved that the General did not argue with her. 

Seeing an officer walk past, Dallia shoved Rey forward forcefully, not wanting to appear too gentle with her prisoner. She received many stares from a number of stormtroopers as they made their way through the hallways of the ship. She only prayed that she wouldn’t have to ignite her saber, for it was a color Kylo would most likely not care for. After all, Master Skywalker had told her that the golden hue of her saber was quite rare. He explained that it represented the pure balance and discipline of the user who wielded it. With such a meaningful color, she was afraid of Kylo’s reaction if she ever revealed it near him. It was best to keep it hidden for the time being. 

“How much longer?” Rey whispered as they reached an empty hallway. Dallia knew that the binders were probably very uncomfortable on her wrists.

“The door to the elevator is right up there.” She told her, pointing to it. “It will take us to Kylo’s throne room.”

Feeling her sister shudder, she pressed on, leading her to the large door. After watching it open, they stepped inside. Both of them exhaled a nervous breath as the small room made its way up to the top level. As the door opened, Dallia cleared her mind as best she could. There sat Kylo, surrounded by the red guards. 

  
  



	21. A Room of Beginnings and Ends

The silence that fell over the room was sickening as Dallia waited for Kylo to speak first. He seemed to have his eyes fixated on Rey, as if Dallia had brought back the most prized possession in the entire galaxy. Sitting there, on his grand throne, he wore his usual black robes but they were now gleaming in the light from the room. The edges were threaded with a shimmering gold, radiating more power than Dallia had ever seen in her life. It was intimidating to say the least. Every inch of her body felt on edge as she stared back at the beautifully dressed menace before her. The only thing that gave her the courage to stand there was the image of her master in the back of her mind, reminding her of his teachings.

"So this is the gift you brought me?" He hummed in amusement, breaking the silence along with Dallia’s train of thought. 

Carefully, Dallia nodded her head as Kylo slowly got up from his throne, moving in on the both of them. His stature was absolutely frightening.

"I have to say," He said. "I'm quite impressed. I'm also quite glad to be seeing you again, my love."

"I'm very glad too." Dallia told him. "I'm sorry for my absence."

"It's quite alright, my love." He said, then turning to Rey. "Such a prize is worth the wait. I knew your force abilities would come in handy one of these days. I have taught you well."

Dallia watched as he walked around them in a circle like a predator surrounding its prey. A chill shot up her back as he towered over them. She prayed that he couldn't sense her nerves at that moment. She was nearly shaking. It took nearly every ounce of her strength to keep her still. 

“Where would you like her?” Dallia choked out, just wanting for Kylo to step away.

“Hush, Dallia.” He scolded. “I intend on taking my time.”

Her heart started pounding as he then stood face to face with Rey, staring directly into her terrified eyes. He stood there for a moment, expressionless, fixated on her eyes as if he were thinking very deeply about something. Quickly, he snapped out of it and continued to scan the rest of her.

“Tell me where Skywalker is.” He snapped, startling Dallia.

Rey’s lip quivered. “I’m not telling you anything.”

Kylo turned to Dallia quickly. “Was she with Skywalker when you found her?” 

“No.” Dallia told him. “The force led me to a planet I don’t know the name of. She was the only one there.” 

“I know you were with him not long ago.” He growled as he turned to Rey again. “Tell me, now.”

Rey stared back at him, not saying a word. Dallia could feel the anger in Kylo rise as he continued to not get the answer he wanted. It was terrifying seeing such a powerful man get so worked up. 

“Guards!” He then snapped. Each guard on the perimeter immediately snapped to attention. “Take her to the holding cell. I will interrogate her later.”

Feeling her heart drop, Dallia watched as the guards marched over and grabbed Rey by the arm. Before Dallia could even think, she reached behind her back to her small bag and pulled out Rey’s blue saber. Immediately, she pulled Rey backwards to her with the force, cutting through the binders on her wrists with the saber and tossing it to her. They both stood there, back to back, staring back at Kylo, who looked livid and confused at the same time and the guards, who were awaiting orders from their Supreme Leader. 

“You- you’ve abandoned me!” He screamed at Dallia. She could feel the heartbreak in his voice. “She has poisoned your mind, you traitor!”

“I suppose I am.” Dallia argued back. “But I’m not here to kill you, Kylo. I’m here to ask you to join us and leave this place.”

Before she could hear a response, she heard Kylo scream orders to the guards. She watched as a blade of red light then came charging towards her. Quickly, she grabbed her own gold saber, igniting it and blocking his attack. As they stood there, saber to saber, she could feel the raw heartache as he examined the golden blade. She knew he had expected her saber to be red like his. Behind them, Rey tried her best to battle all of the guards that were coming at her from every angle. Redirecting her focus, Dallia pushed Kylo back with her saber, earning a growl from him as he began his counterattack. Trying to block him, Dallia was pushed to the ground, helpless, her saber flying out of her hand and across the room. Above her stood Kylo, who towered over her, his saber hovering over her heart, ready to puncture her chest. Killing off the last guard, Rey whipped around to see her sister so close to death. 

“Kylo…” Dallia cried, feeling a tear slip down her cheek. “My love…”

She watched his expression grow angrier at the affectionate nickname. His blade buzzed in the air, breaking the painful silence the three of them stood him. Dallia could nearly feel the heat from the blade as it hovered about her body. She wasn’t ready to die. She couldn’t leave her sister alone in the galaxy again. They still needed to find their parents.

“Kylo, please…” Dallia choked out. “You can turn back to the light. I know it. Come with us and it will all be okay.” 

She watched as Kylo stared down at her intensely, frozen in thought. His eyes were vacant as his mind seemed to race. Dallia couldn’t even imagine what he was thinking about. He appeared to be troubled and livid at the same time. It was a sight she had never seen before. He looked broken. Breaking the silence, his saber disappeared into its hilt. He stood there, glaring at the both of them in the chilling silence. Dallia was still on the ground, too scared to make any sudden movements. 

“Please, Ben…” Rey cried. Dallia saw that her face was wet with tears after seeing her own sister so close to death. “Please, take my hand.”

“No.” Kylo snapped, startling Dallia. “You know that deep down you belong here. Take my hand and the three of us will begin our own reign.”

Dallia watched as a tear rolled down her sister’s cheek. “We can’t… I can’t…”

“Yes you can!” Kylo shouted. “You both are placing too much hope in the Jedi. It’s time for them to end.”

“I know there is good in you!” Rey cried, growing more desperate. “You can join us and bring back the Jedi. I see the light in you!”

Kylo dropped to his knees, his saber rolling out of his hand. His gaze was on the floor. Reaching out through the force to him, Dallia could feel that he was weak. Whether it was physically or emotionally, she couldn't tell. 

“Get out…” He whispered. “Get off this ship before I kill you.”

Rey shot a look towards her sister before quickly leaving the thorne room. The air was still and heavy, causing a strange feeling in her chest. She only hoped that Rey could find a spot to hide on the ship and wait for her to catch up. She had waited so long for this vision to come true but she had never thought it would be this painful. Seeing Kylo on the ground, she then remembered what he was going to say next.

“You are right.” He choked out. 

“What do you mean?” Dallia asked softly, dropping to her knees next to him. She could see that his cheeks were wet.

“I need to leave this place.” He whispered.

A moment of silence hung over the both of them as they knelt there on the hard floor of the room. The only sound that could be heard was the occasional ragged breath from Kylo who seemed to be falling apart before her very eyes. Her heart ached for him. She had missed him so much that she never wanted to be separated from him again. She never thought that she would be in that moment with him, watching him be so vulnerable and torn apart. He was human too.

“What made you change your mind?” She asked quietly.

She watched him take an unsteady breath. “My mother… she is gone.” He choked out. “I just saw her. She came to me before she died. She told me how much she loved me.” 

He then stopped, hearing a noise by the door to the elevator. Both of them turned to see what was there. It was Rey, clutching her heart, looking as if all of the air in her lungs was just taken from her. She reached out, trying to grab something for balance but she fell to her knees. Slowly, she lifted her head.

“Leia…” She gasped. “She’s gone, Ben…”

Ben hung his head in shame and in disappointment for himself. His tangled, black hair hid his face from the both of them. Dallia reached out for her sister, desperately calling her over. As best she could, Rey got to her feet and stumbled over to her sister, only to embrace her in a tight hug, which they both had needed. Dallia was heartbroken at the loss, not even having known Leia. She had heard so many heartwarming stories about the General over the fire when she had first met Rey on the dreary island. She couldn't even imagine the pain her master was in at that moment. Reaching out to the force, she felt the galaxy on its knees, weeping for the symbol of their hope. The force had gained such a bright and inspiring woman that day. The General would be missed dearly by all. 

Lost in her own thought, Dallia felt her eyes begin to tear up. Ben Solo was now alone in the galaxy. Both his mother and his father were gone. The only family he had left was Master Skywalker, who he didn’t care for whatsoever. Dallia realized that her, Rey, and Ben were all orphans, alone together, not knowing where to go next. She hoped that they would find enough sanctuary with the Resistance when they finally met up with them. Her only fear was that her and Ben would be seen as outcasts and traitors. She prayed that they would give them a second chance. It was what both her and Ben needed. 

Still holding onto her sister, Dallia watched as Ben got up from his knees, finally standing up to inspect the room. He looked around slowly, admiring the very room in which he had made himself Supreme Leader not that long ago. It was a room of beginnings and ends of all sorts, marking so many huge events in his life. As Dallia saw his gaze turn to the fallen guards, he then sighed and called his lightsaber into his hand. Lifting his head, he turned to his two friends.

“Where do we go from here?”

  
  



End file.
